40 Death Fics: Kaito
by Jeva
Summary: It's an inevitability that comes to pass at least once in a person's life... [Murderer: Mark of a Distorted Mirror: Kuroba...what is it that scares you most? That they've managed to catch you? Or that someone else paid your price?] For the LJ theme comm.
1. As Tears Began to Fall

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** As Tears Began to Fall...  
**Author: **Jeva  
**Theme:** #1 - Regret  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Nakamori Aoko  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary:** _But one phone call made him drop everything and come running home with the prayer that he hadn't been too late..._

* * *

He could hear the whispers. They floated about the room in a listless yet coarse manner that made his shoulders start to tense. He needed to stay calm. They were there for the same reason he was. There wasn't a need to cause a scene. There wasn't a need to tell these people--_strangers_--to shut their cruel mouths about the gossip that was being spread. 

Even though they knew nothing about what they were talking about. Even though he just wanted to knock out the teeth that were in a particular mouth that chose to mutter horribly crude things to him as he passed. But no--best to ignore them.

Ignore.

...Ignore.

_Ignore._

He froze when he realized he was at that particular door. He was shaking with anticipation, with dear, with anger, with...so many things he just couldn't allow to be shown in any other way.

So he stood there, almost in a daze until the door opened.

Red, blood-shot eyes that spoke of hours of tears and smoke and alcohol met his clear but noticeably emotion-filled gaze. Those eyes--strange orbs he'd not seen in years--stared at him for a long time before lowering to the ground as a hand came up to clap onto his shoulder.

He cringed only slightly at the contact.

Then the older man spoke, gruffly and hoarse, but strong enough to carry on with the words he needed to say, "I've had my time alone. I think you'll need yours."

Those eyes then lifted again to glare at the others in the small house before meeting his again. It was accompanied with a squeeze from the hand and a nod from the head before the older man brushed passed him and left.

He continued to face the doorway.

He didn't want to go in there.

...he didn't want to see--

He shut his eyes tightly before inhaling deeply. He needed to do this. If anything...this was the one thing he needed to do. To see.

So he entered the room and slowly shut the door behind himself.

And he stood there, eyes still shut and hand still on the door.

_Come on,_ he told himself with a shaky Poker Face-like inner-smile. _You've been waiting ages for this, right? To see her again? Sure the circumstances--_he firmly didn't think of that_--they're not what you expected--_

"Oh, just open your eyes already," he whispered to himself before pausing a moment without moving a muscle, waiting to see if he could gather the courage.

He exhaled slowly, shakily--he was shaking all over again and had to wrap both of his arms tightly around his middle in order to calm himself.

"Calm down," he said quietly to himself, eyes screwing even more tightly shut. "Calm down...calm down...just look. It's--she's the same as always--just..._calm down._"

But he couldn't help but think about the many ways it could have ended. He'd never bothered to hear how it'd come to pass--he hadn't wanted to hear those cruel voices, see those accusing eyes all directed at him--as if _he'd_ been the one to take her from them all. How could he defend himself when he could feel everything just slipping away?

Since he'd heard those words...everything had been slipping away from him...

_"Hello! Kuroba Kaito here! Who's calling?" _

"Kaito?"

"Mom? What's wrong?"

His hands clenched the black clothes covering every inch of him at that moment. He tried to focus on just...calming down and breathing, but...it was so silent. It wasn't how things should have been...

_"...I'm afraid...I have some horrible news...Kai-chan..." _

"Mom? Hey, what're you crying for? What happened? Are you okay? Is--?"

"I'm fine, Kaito. but..."

"But? Mom? Did someone get hurt?"

It was supposed to have been a quick trip. That was all. The availability of gems that could be the legendary Pandora was getting thinner and thinner. He couldn't just leave things at that. He had to reach out beyond the limits set upon him by his native country. So he'd gone for a month around Europe. But one month turned into two...and then three...then more...and all the while a certain half-British detective hounded his every footstep.

London, Paris, Versailles, Madrid, Marseille, Rome, Venice, Florence--each place he'd gone, he would give out a warning and then strike while everyone was in a rush at the appointed time. It had been tiring, of course. Almost every night a different location or a different gem--a different audience, always.

But one phone call made him drop everything and come running home with the prayer that he hadn't been too late...

_"Kai-chan...i-it's Aoko-chan--" _

"Aoko? Is she okay? Did she get hurt? Is she sick? Will she be all right? Wh--?"

"It was an accident. She--was in an accident. A hit-and-run. The doctors don't think...Kaito? Kai--"

He'd literally dropped everything. His cell phone was some place in Germany, where he'd stood up a crowd of millions who were anxiously awaiting someone to take a prized relic, while his luggage got lost during a transfer in South Korea. He hadn't cared. With only the clothes on his back, he'd raced into the hospital his childhood friend had been placed in only to skid to a stop in the hall he'd been pointed to.

Doctors were leaving the room with the number he'd just barely remembered that the receptionist had shouted at his back.

None of them looked up.

He'd remained frozen...until that _sound_.

The horrible sound of a father mourning the death of his beloved only daughter.

...he'd been too late.

Just like then, Kaito sunk to his knees in the silent room, body almost bending double as he clenched his teeth as he struggled to keep that crushing feeling at bay. Too keep those precious thing from pricking at his eyes, demanding to be shed.

It hurt. It _hurt_ being this afraid, this sad, this _alone_. he hadn't felt such a void in his own self since that time when he was almost ten--when he'd lost another person he had told he would see again soon.

What...was he supposed to do? Almost all of his life, she had been there. _Always._ Without question, she'd been there for him.

But...he hadn't.

Not even when it truly mattered.

It was so quiet...

It was so unlike her.

"...I can't open my eyes," he choked out, pulling an arm away from himself to place a trembling hand over his eyes, feeling the moisture there with some surprise. "If I do..."

What then?

It'd be real. His childhood friend--the woman he both loved and feared because she held his heart so easily in her own two hands was gone, and she'd taken that piece of himself with her--never to be returned until his own time came.

There wouldn't be anything he could do to change it. He'd been too late to make a difference even though he'd tried--and did he try. He had a sinking feeling that, one too many times during his rush to get home, he'd left evidence of his being an international felon.

...and there would be no where for Kuroba Kaito to turn when he'd need a good mop chase--such a silly little activity that he'd taken for granted. There was no more constants--they'd all been ripped out of his life by a simple act.

There was no one else to turn to.

Only...

"Aoko..." he breathed out before slowly sitting himself straight, eyes still closed though he lowered his hand. A flimsy half-smile came onto his face as he fought for control. "C-c'mon, Aoko..." he stuttered out before taking a deep breath and continuing, "Even if...even if I was too late...you forgive me, right? You know--I went through hell and high water--just to get there..."

The buzzing silence was his only response.

...it would be his only answer no matter how much he asked or pleaded.

The smile began to slip, and Poker Face was falling apart as tears started to fall.

* * *

_Author's Note:_ Ah heh...yeah...so anyway, the rules of this challenge is that I can either A) kill Kaito, B) have Kaito kill someone, or C) kill someone with Kaito as a centralized character. And well...went with option C here.

...I have no excuse. -sweatdrops-


	2. Too Little, Too Late

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** Too Little, Too Late  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #22 - Resemblance  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Kudo Shinichi  
**Rating:** PG-13/R  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary:** _"Damn it, Kid!" he shouted angrily with that panicked undertone that left no mistake in Kaito's mind that there was no fooling anyone--not himself, not the detective._

* * *

A case of mistaken identity. 

Even when he hadn't intended it at all.

...what irony.

He stared up at the face of the person he had been mistaken for...a smaller, more childish face that was seeming to tell him something--police? Ambulance? Kid, you've come just a tad too late for that...

Still, Kaito couldn't really blame him. He was a detective--"was" being the key but not really correct word as this kid...this supposed primary school aged person was supposed to be his age. Was supposed to look almost exactly like him except for the hair...and the frame was a bit larger, he'd noticed when he'd disguised himself as the detective in previous times. All that happened was an accident--similar to the one that Kaito was in the midst of experiencing, except completely opposite.

In that accident, Kudo Shinichi came away about ten years younger and able to continue to search for a way to put the bad guys away, was able to continue being a detective, albeit behind-the-scenes more often then not, but...

What would Kaito get out of this? He grinned what he knew had to be a gruesomely bloodied manic grin at the thought.

He wasn't getting anything out of this.

Hell, if anything, those bastards in black got away with what he'd rightfully stolen.

...well, he couldn't say he was exactly an innocent lamb himself--not like Kudo. He'd cause enough trouble to last a couple of lifetimes, he'd like to think. All for the cause of bringing those murderers--murderers who had ties to the ones that had mistaken him for the famous high school detective that they thought they'd killed some time ago--out into the open. To be caught...by people like Kudo.

"O-oi!" the shrunken detective--Edogawa Conan...what a nifty name that was, Kaito thought idly--shouted as the bigger teenaged boy's body spasmed with bloody, choking coughs. "Stay with me! The ambulance should be here any moment--"

Kaito managed to get a few short chuckles out between the watery coughs. "S-sure," he said, mentally disgusted by the feeling of hot liquid filling his mouth, making him turn his head to let it dribble out. So pathetic. "H-hey...do me a favor, Kudo?"

That made the not-kid freeze with shock. Oh, yeah, this guy was smart, wasn't he? He'd know who Kaito was without having to think about it much. Yep, there it was. That knowing, understanding look that was accompanied by a smidgen of horror that suited the situation perfectly. If he could feel his arms right then, the magician would have given him a mocking applause. As it was, he just watched out of the corner of his eyes as Edogawa Conan swallowed heavily before nodding.

He couldn't help but grin a bit wider. "Might want...to think about--what you're getting...into, t-tantei-kun..." he stammered out, not at all in the manner he would like--it was so hard to be mysterious and cool, seemingly in control when you're bleeding from all sides from so many bullet wounds.

Why didn't they just shoot him in the head?

The shrunken teenager glared at him. "Idiot! You're not the bad guy here!" The boy's eyes closed as his small fists clenched Kaito's hooded jacket's sleeve. Kaito couldn't help but to feel a bit sorry for the small guy. How many times has someone died in front of him? he couldn't help but wonder. "And anyway..." Kudo continued in that dull voice that told Kaito that maybe it was coming close to being one too many people, "you wouldn't have been hurt if they hadn't thought--"

Kaito chuckled again. "I-I guess I shoulda learned...impersonating people--it was my specialty, you know..."

"_Stop talking!_" the detective hissed angrily, his head snapping up so that he could aim a glare at him again. "You're going to just make yourself weaker and the ambulance will be here any minute--"

"S-so you...say, t-tantei-kun." Was it just him or were things growing a bit colder? Oh, wow...so that sort of thing really did happen when you died... "Anyway..." he continued quietly, reserving his strength like the not-kid wanted, "about that favor...they took it from me."

Now came that suspicious yet calculating stare that always made the hairs on the back of his next stand on end whenever it was aimed at him. Now, all Kaito could think with quite an amount of glee was that this kid was going to give those guys hell whenever he could get his small hands on them. Then came the questions. "What'd they take? Is it something of yours? Something you stole?"

"Both," Kaito simply answered, eyes softening as he remembered the one thing they took that couldn't be recovered. "Ever wondered? ...why did I steal, tantei-kun?" Of course he had. He was a detective. He wanted to know the crime, how it was done, who the culprit was, and what their motive was. Two out of four, Kudo already knew...number three would come soon...and the fourth... "To keep them...from getting what they wanted--what they killed him for..."

"Him?"

Kaito closed his eyes. He couldn't keep them open. He was tired...but he had to ask the detective this favor... "Aa...the one--that c-came before me..."

There was a pause--one filled with comprehension and realization. "You mean the previous Kaitou Kid," Kudo stated, easily working through the mystery as if he was born solely for solving such riddles. "They killed him because of something that he was after and so you tried to get that thing before they got it."

No answer was necessary, so Kaito didn't bother with one.

The silence obviously unsettled the little guy since he then roughly shook his shoulder. "Oi! _Oi!_ Don't you hear the sirens? They're almost here! Stay _awake_, damn it!"

Easier said than done, the thief thought miserably to himself but he forced his eyes opened, giving the detective a small wink and a smirk. It got a disgruntled look, which was fine by him--as long as Kudo never realized how close he was...

"So what is it? What did they--you--they take from you that you took from someone else? _What were they after?_" Questions, questions, questions...how could anyone mistaken him for this detective?

But he just continued to smile at the shrunken teenager, who grabbed him by the front of his jacket in frustration. "Damn it, Kid!" he shouted angrily with that panicked undertone that left no mistake in Kaito's mind that there was no fooling anyone--not himself, not the detective.

The ambulance wouldn't get there in time.

"You said you needed a favor and I'm _listening_--"

"First..." Kaito broke in, feeling blood trickling down his chin as he spoke. "G-got a message for a few people."

That made the not-kid freeze. He didn't let go of the cloth clutched in small fists, but he bowed his head and whispered a small, "Go on."

Kudo wasn't a half-bad guy, doing this for someone he only knew as a criminal... "Nakamori-keibu...no more chases for him. Make sure he gets home once in a while?" Should be easy enough...what with the mourning the loss of a boy that the old man considered a nephew at best, a son-in-law at worst.

A nod came from the small figure.

"'Course...Mom--you'll know her when y-you see her--trust me." He couldn't help but to smile a bit with nostalgia at his own words. They were what his mother always said about him. "I--well...tell her something pretty? N-not all of this...mess."

That got some hesitation--naturally, the guy hated lying even though he'd been doing it to survive for the longest of times. But in the end, he agreed.

"And..." He paused. Now...what to say to this one person? He chuckled when he couldn't think of anything else. "Nakamori Aoko." That got a surprised look, but Kaito just tried to shrug--didn't work too well, but the message was understood. "Just tell her one thing."

Impatiently, Kudo asked, "And what's that?"

Kaito grinned. It was so cynical of him...but he couldn't help it. " 'Hi, I'm K-Kuroba Kaito...nice to meetcha...wanna to be f-friends?' "

The detective's head jerked up again and those sharp eyes bore into his own. Yep...quick one. Double message, and Kudo caught it fast.

A very slow nod came as the detective slowly released his hold on Kaito, who closed his eyes tiredly.

If that had been all he had to say...that would have been fine...he could have just drifted away...into whatever was to come next. But there was still one piece of the puzzle Kudo needed. So he spoke again, so quiet that the small guy had to lean over him to hear. "What they're after...is eternity," he whispered, feeling everything starting to fade away. He pulled against the tide, however, and managed to wrap a small wrist into his larger hand, catching Kudo's attention further. "They...took--Pandora. They're...going to open the box--don't let them..."

Eyes wide, Kudo nodded vehemently.

Kaito relaxed, loosening his hold on the other's wrist. Finally. One debt paid only to have someone else carry his burden. Jeez...what a life he lived...so short--yet so much that went on in it.

...no wonder Koizumi warned him about Kudo Shinichi that night. One day...Kudo Shinichi would be the reason he'd be shot down. And here he was...ages after that prediction...one breath away...

-

-

Kudo Shinichi watched as the last breath left this stranger who was never really all that strange. Kuroba Kaito...a kid just like he had been who had been thrown into a situation he could barely handle, hoping to get the bad guys and get on with his life.

All because of eternity.

Just as they had both thought--the ambulance was too late in arriving, and Megure-keibu and company came to investigate. They were all silent as Takagi-keiji led Edogawa Conan away from the body of a boy who, despite appearances, was not the missing Kudo Shinichi. Questions would come later, they told the small boy. Right now...it was best to wait.

But Shinichi wouldn't wait.

He had a few favors to take care of.

Starting with the last words.

Then would come Pandora...and with it, the Black Organization would be taken down. He swore it on that life that was taken in place of his own.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ ...yep. Just no excuse. 

Anyway, this is the part where I lay the blame. Totally pointing the finger at Candyland-chan here because it's all her fault I got it stuck in my head to do this. Yep, all her fault... Though I do apologize for stealing her posting format...other than that, nope. Not sorry at all. All the balme is on you, Candyland XDD ...even if Kaito still blames me. -shrugs-


	3. Vampire: Surrender to Nothing

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** Surrender to Nothing  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #31 - Vampire  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito  
**Rating:** PG-13/R  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death; also...heh...vampires :D  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary:** He was supposed to be dead.

* * *

He could hardly believe it. Even if it wasn't all that odd--especially since he'd just woken up in his own bed, in his own pajamas (a pair of boxers and a t-shirt), with nothing more than a bit of sweat on his brow. Still, it _was_ odd...he could have sworn...but then again--_how'd he get home?_

Kuroba Kaito continued to blink at his hands as he turned them backwards and forwards, trying to see anything that was out of the ordinary. There was something _wrong_--he _knew_ there was, and still his eyes were saying he was whole...that there was nothing wrong with him.

He sighed in relief, flopping back onto his bed and flinging one of his hands onto his face, laughing at himself. Just a nightmare. How could he get so freaked out over such a little thing? He lifted his hand again to stare at it--and as if it was a trigger to a memory that had been temporarily locked away, he suddenly caught a flash of white--a gloved hand...a sleeved arm up to the wrist...reaching for--

Kaito drew his arm back to himself in bewilderment.

That...was not just a dream.

He sat up again, staring at his hands again, hoping for another flash of memory. It was dancing at the edge of his mind, teasing him, that memory that eluded him. The one that would tell him why he felt so off--why everything seemed so normal but so strange at the same time.

Then it hit him.

...he had _died_.

He choked at the realization and frantically flailed for a moment before taking deep breaths, a hand at his neck.

...did he feel something?

...wait, that was it, right?

...no...that was just him shaking.

There wasn't anything.

Or there was and he barely..._barely_ felt it. Like a dying bird still struggling to fly--its wings barely able to lift above its own broken body.

...and if that analogy didn't freak him out enough, Kaito was sure his brain could come up with another one. So to spare him the thought, he pulled his hands away once more but this time to plant them on the bed so he could stand up. He stood slowly, almost afraid that he'd suddenly keel over if he moved even _slightly_ wrong.

He didn't know what he was planning on doing--call his mother for some help? Yeah, good idea, genius--and what was she going to do besides drag him to the hospital where the doctors would want to poke and prod and see how he ticked since he should have _died_--

...wait...why was he supposed to be dead again?

Once again, he felt realization hit him--but this time, it was in the form of a remembered blow to the gut.

Right...that's what happened, he thought dazedly as he wrapped an arm around his middle as his other hand placed itself at the base of his neck near his shoulder--where a certain artery lay, seemingly undisturbed. And it hadn't been a dream. How could it be when _there was obviously something on his neck?_

Just like before, it was as if he'd hit a trigger--something that suddenly had him remember everything that'd happen as if it was happening right then and there.

-

-

It was after a Kaitou Kid heist. He was grinning at the success of the whole thing, able to get in and out with the jewel while also being able to take the time to taunt the 1412 Taskforce--something he'd dearly missed doing ever since the gunshots started. Whoever those people were that were after the same thing he was--those people who killed his father--they weren't merciful and they wouldn't let him get it off easily.

...so why didn't it occur to him that no shots during that night obviously meant something was wrong?

Maybe it was the high he got from a heist without having to worry about his own life. Maybe it was just because he really wasn't all that bright of a person--that was a choice that Aoko would have gone with if she'd known about all of his night activities--then again, he'd probably be behind bars if she knew...

Whatever the reason, he just _didn't notice_ that something was wrong and just sat on top of a roof, holding the gem up to the moonlight only to smile sadly when, once again, nothing happened. Disappointment was heavy on his heart--as it was every time he failed to recover the legendary gem that he sought to keep from the wrong hands.

"Pandora..."

He spun around, looking across the rooftops for any sign of another person who could have whispered the word, startled that he hadn't heard anything to alert him to another presence near him.

There was nobody. He laughed to himself. Just a thought on a breeze then...he was definitely obsessed with finding the damned thing, so it wouldn't be surprising if he was starting to hear voices whispering its name.

It certainly unnerved him to think he'd finally gone off the deep end, but well...he couldn't say he'd never expected it.

So he stood up and brushed off his white suit, pushing a button that activated his hang glider--

And then things happened too fast.

Just as he pocketed the stolen item and the muscles in his legs coiled up, ready for him to spring off the edge of the building, ready for him to start to fly--something grabbed him. Grabbed his wings and suddenly his wings were gone and he was grounded, thrown onto the ground where his air left him in a rush. He'd barely had time to turn onto his side and see someone--some_thing_ standing over him--the hang glider and most of his cape tossed to the side as if they were rags and excess metal.

If he hadn't been so startled, so out of breath, so..._scared_--he would have _definitely_ been pissed. Whoever this person was had _no_ idea how hard it was to maintain those things, and damn it, now he'd have to ask Jii to help him repair _another_ set!

Apparently, the person--_thing_ that was standing over him didn't seem to care for his hard work and merely reached for one of his ankles.

He kicked out at the shadow--that was all he could see, a shadow--hoping to land a blow and be able to escape. Sadly, it only assisted the thing in getting a hold of him. His ankle was caught easily in one strong hand, and he suddenly found himself being dragged closer to the thing.

He clenched his teeth, putting his other foot to the ground as well as digging his hands into the concrete under his back. No effect. Before he could even think about any other sort of defensive action, he was effectively pinned. Hands trapped above their respective shoulders, legs kept grounded by a pair of knees digging into his thighs--

Now he was more than scared--he was getting close to a panic, even if he _refused_ to let the other party see it on his face.

This was certainly one thing he _never_ thought could happen to him.

He could _feel_ the thing staring down at him--he wouldn't say _leering_ because that wasn't the sort of impression he got. It was more like...studying...like he was a specimen worth taking the time to study before any...experiments began.

Then it leaned over him more, almost pressing its apparently just a bit larger body against his own in a manner that made him feel sick to his stomach. He was _not_ going to let this happen, he swore to himself, but remained perfectly still except for catching his breath in rough pants. Predators liked it when their prey struggled, wasn't that the oldest rule of survival?

...that rule didn't seem to apply for this...thing.

Hot breath hit his right cheek, and he fought back a grimace. It was _disgusting_, _disgraceful_--so many other words that started with dis- as well as some other four letter words came to his mind as he tried to push his arms off of the ground--

They were firmly held. Whatever this thing was--it was _strong_.

...and it didn't want to let him go.

So this was where his endurance would have to...endure. Block everything out. Don't let anything show--damn it, how the hell did he get caught off-guard so damn easily! Was he really getting so careless?

He was brought out of his internal self-ass-kicking by his arms being moved higher above his head, where the wrists were crossed over each other and one of the thing's hands kept them still--no matter how hard he tried to get them free. The thing, person...whatever was obviously on something powerful--angel dust, maybe? Steroids? Whatever the case, its other hand was now running its fingers along his jaw line, making him look up at it.

He couldn't _see_ what it was, but right then and there, he knew that it _was_ a person.

..._was_ being the key word.

The free hand continued to trace its way along his face, almost in a manner that suggested that this thing that held him down couldn't believe what it was seeing. Then the hand drifted below his chin--and tightly held onto the hinges of his jaw.

"Why are you looking for Pandora?" it asked in a low, menacing voice that would have sounded familiar if it would stop growling at him.

He firmly kept his mouth shut--until it squeezed his jaw, making it drop down in what could accurately be described as a silent scream.

It _hurt_. The thing was going to end up breaking his jaw even when it was looking for an answer from him. That is...if he didn't say anything.

So he made a sound. A simple one. One that anyone would make if they were being hurt in such a way for a simple answer that he could easily give.

He managed to get out a garbled, "Ow..."

It froze.

Then it laughed, loosening its hold.

He, however, glared at it. Screw Poker Face. He was scared, he was upset...he was ready to get this all over and done with, but it seemed to want to take its time. So, to speed things up, he answered the question, typically, with a question of his own, "How do you know about Pandora?"

...just to be a smart-ass, he thought to himself quite unhappily, the thing responded with another question as it leaned closer into his face, "How can I not?"

He could see its eyes right then.

Forget afraid, forget scared--he was terrified.

"What do you want from me?" he asked, managing to swallow back the fear and place his cool mask of a smirk onto his face. "If you want the gem I've got--it's not Pandora, I assure you. Try again next time, and you might get luck--"

"Luck is for fools like you," it breathed into his face before adding in a quieter voice, "or fools like I used to be."

That drew the thief's brow together. "Wha--?"

But talk-time was apparently over. It was leaning even close to him, and out of pure instinct, he turned his head away, turned his eyes away from that face--those eyes. Its breath on his skin made him wish he could break its hold on him, but all he could do was lie there under that person--that thing, his body rebelling against what little control he had and shaking like a leaf in the terror he tried to hide.

The thing didn't say anything more--didn't laugh at his apparent weakness--it didn't waste any more time.

It bit into his neck.

The initial shock had him freeze from head to toe--he _couldn't move_.

His mouth open and closed as he tried to speak, but nothing would come out. It hurt...it _hurt!_ God, why did it _hurt so much?_ ...and yet...it wasn't a pain he knew. It wasn't like a cut finger, like a skinned knee, like any number of small injuries he'd gotten in his life. Hell, it wasn't even the kind of pain he'd gotten from the numerous injuries he'd gotten during recent heists--

This kind of pain...was _exquisite_.

It was mind-numbing, heart-stopping, and--dare he say it?--_toe-curling_ pleasure brought on by the strange pain that came from that bite that the person--it was a person, wasn't it? he was starting to forget--was lapping now lapping blood from. It should have been alarming, should have made him think of trying to get _away_...

Strangely enough...he didn't want to pull away.

He wanted to pull the other closer to him. _Finish it. Finish it!_ was all his buzzing mind could think of even when things started to go white...red...

Black...

-

-

Kaito jerked his hand away from his neck, panting heavily. He was still in his bedroom. Still standing near his bed. Still had an arm wrapped around his stomach.

He felt sick.

That wasn't...it couldn't have been--had it? His mind reeled, and he found himself sitting heavily on the edge of his bed, staring at the wall across from him in a blank manner as he frantically dug through his memories, trying to find some semblance of reason--_something_ that would let him know it was just a dream...that there was no such thing as _vampires_.

Kaito screwed his eyes shut and bit his lower lip--

Bit _through_ his lower lip, that is.

A noise of surprise and numbed pain came from him as his eyes shot wide open.

He could _smell_ the blood--_his_ blood that he idly sucked from the small wound he himself made.

This wasn't right! part of him was screaming in pure terror and outrage. Another part of him remained dazed and confused. Was he really bleeding? Was he really enjoying the taste of his own blood?

...and that final part of himself...that side that was just _giddy_ with joy at finally being _fed_ and--ooooh, what ecstasy--!

"_Stop_," he managed to snap, letting his lower lip go as his hands flew to his head. "Stop. Stop...this is just..." Crazy was the word he was looking for, but it slipped away from him as that new part of him--that one that kept rearing its head as blood trailed down from the cut on his lip--focused on something new.

...or not necessarily _new_...but something he'd never had the ability to focus on before.

It was a hypnotizing sound coming from some place in the house. Even the side of him that he supposed was his smarter side went quiet--no more shouts, no more outrage, just curiosity.

What was that sound?

_Thump-thump._

Something that kept a perfectly even rhythm...

_Thump-thump._

He put a hand to his chest, clutching the cloth of his shirt as he began to realize with some awakening horror.

_Thump-thump._

"No such thing..." he whispered to himself, feeling himself begin shake with that same fear that held him when that person--that _thing_ had caught him on the rooftop.

_Thump-thump._

But how could he deny that sound? He knew what it was.

_Thump-thump._

...worst of all...he knew _who_ it was.

_Thump-thump._

His free hand flew to his mouth as he doubled-over. He felt sick...he felt like he going to throw up...

_Thump-thump._

...he was _hungry._

* * *

_Author's Notes: _...heh. Vampires. -paaaaaaause- ...I TOTALLY BLAME THE PROMPT! 

Anyway, yeah...well. I thought that would have been it for the vampire idea, but...no. The bonus prompts are spawning more ficcage about this vampire thing and...well...now I have a sort of mini-series going on within this 40 deathfic thing -sweatdrops- But there will still be deaths! Make no mistake

Now excuse me as I struggle to get my left ear piece of my headphones to start working. -pulls and twists at the cords-


	4. Vampire: But the Damage is Done

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** But the Damage Is Done  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #31 alternate - Bloodlust  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Koizumi Akako, Nakamori Aoko  
**Rating:** Strong R (NSFW, methinks)  
**Warnings:** ...heh...vampires  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary:** Death is merely a name people give to when things just stop being as they were.

* * *

His life--unlife...whatever it was now that he had _died_ and was now...hungering for the blood of mortals--was simply _unfair_. 

Now, Kuroba Kaito was a quick learner and was even quicker at adapting to a situation that didn't fit into his plans. Improvision was something highly respected among thieves--phantom thieves especially. But even a legendary thief like the Kaitou Kid had trouble adapting to a situation.

...especially when said situation involved him being a _vampire_, of all things.

So he took it all in. Slowly. Careful to keep that side of him that kept listening to that internal metronome that just kept beating again and again in perfect rhythm (at least his mother was healthy for a woman in her late-30s) from getting out of his control, he had cautiously done small experiments that would determine just how...vampiric he was.

...apparently, not very.

Except for the never-ending thirst he felt when he _wasn't_ biting the inside of his cheek, there was nothing that would really say that he was, in fact, a vampire. He could walk in the daylight--a test of courage that he never wanted to try again...he'd just _barely_ gathered the courage to stick his hand out into the morning sun. He could stare at a crucifix for _hours_ without getting any symptoms except for boredom--pieces of wood carved into pretty shapes held little interest for him if he wasn't trying to _steal_ them, apparently.

All these things that lore and vampire legends said that couldn't be done he could do. And the things that it said that he _could_ do...well, they weren't as pronounced as he would have liked.

Super physical strength would have been nifty, but sadly, he still couldn't lift the car that was in his father's old Kid lair. No telepathy that he knew of since his mother _still_ wouldn't let him get a motocycle, not matter how much he _thought_ at her. But on a more positive note, his night vision _had_ gotten a bit better, but that could have been his imagination for all he knew.

It was strange. It wasn't funny. And he wanted to stop feeling so _hungry_ wherever he went. At home, it was simple to stifle the gnawing need by simply...gnawing on his own finger or an arm. Of course, his mother was starting to notice the band aids he'd have to place over the small wounds, so that plan of action would have to go sooner or later.

But worst of all was when he left his house...and intermingled with other people.

Japan was a small country, despite its population. Which meant that everywhere he went, there were _people_, and where there were people, there were pulses. Literally _hundreds_ of different-timed _thump-thump_s pounding into his skull wherever he walked. It gave him a headache just to walk to class--never mind _sitting_ within the classroom.

...how he'd managed to not just..._attack_ someone was something he was most surprised about. Chances were that Poker Face really did come in handy for moments like these--not that Kaito ever thought that his father would have known anything about his situation. It was just...so far-fetched and crazy--it shouldn't have _ever_ happened.

...then again, he knew of a teenaged genius detective who was shrunken into a 7-year-old, so it really wasn't as far-fetched as he would like.

Still...it wasn't _fair_. Every second of every day since he woke up after that night of the Kaitou Kid heist, he'd felt that hunger burning inside of him, he'd felt sick whenever he even _considered_ just a small taste of the liquid that he was craving, he'd gotten headaches and migraines from just having to be a part of society and continue on with his teenaged life--whatever was left of it, that is.

...if things were this bad when it was just him in his civilian life, how on earth was he going to handle those crowds and sights and smells and sounds at the Kaitou Kid heists? That was one thought that kept him hesitant to schedule his next performance. He had a target in mind, but he couldn't very well do anything about it if he was just going to collapse in the middle of the heist from too much sensory data hitting him from all sides like that.

So, no heists for a while. He was grounded--just like when that thing ripped his hang glider from his back--which reminded him, he needed to fix _another_ one which would require calling Jii and--no, best not to think of getting Jii involved yet...

He mentally groaned at his situation as he sat in his English class, barely able to focus on vocabulary and grammar structure because he couldn't help but to notice that _somebody_ in the classroom had a _heart condition_. Sheesh. Did the person even know they might keel over from clogged arteries or something?

...and he didn't just think that to himself, did he?

He sighed aloud, propping his chin on his hand, trying to tune out the sounds that were attacking him from all sides. It worked--to a certain degree.

Until Nakamori Aoko decided to lean over from her seat next to him to poke his shoulder with her pen.

He looked over to her with a disgruntled look, knowing she was just going to tell him to stop being so noisy because--hey, not everyone can pull off fantastic marks like _you_ can, Kuroba Kaito, and blah blah blah...

But Aoko didn't seem to be annoyed. Instead, she seemed concerned. Puzzled, he quietly mouthed at her a simple question: _What?_

She looked to see if the teacher was watching and then mouthed something back.

...either Aoko thought his hair looked like a porcupine or he totally missed her point. Kaito gave her a raised eyebrow, definitely sure she wasn't worried about his hair.

Ah, _there_ was the exasperation. Aoko could have the cutest expressions when she was mad or upset or frustrated...hell, anything that made her cheeks flush up like that and her heart pound that hard--

And stopping there, he thought to himself, firmly shoving down his hunger for the nth time that day as he watched Aoko scribble a note, which she then nonchalantly tossed onto his desk.

Note passing, eh? Hadn't done that since Junior High.

He opened the piece of paper and skimmed the note before pausing uncertainly. Now...how does one tell their best friend what was wrong with them, why they looked so pale, and whether or not they knew they look malnourished?

Kaito gave a wry smile and scribbled a short answer before sending the note off back to where it originated. A bug. Sick. Maybe a stomach virus. Good enough answer, since Aoko only frowned at him before turning back to the lesson.

He propped his chin up again, inwardly sighing.

If only it _had_ been a stomach virus.

...but a stomach virus did _not_ make your hearing focus in on your best friend's heart beat as it slowed a bit to a more calm and steady pace now that there was nothing to be frightened or truly worried about. It would start racing again when she could spare the time to actually take a good look at him, but right then, Kaito couldn't seem to care very much.

...the sound of Aoko's heartbeat was the most relaxing thing he'd heard all day.

-

-

Kaito jerked when he felt someone brush at his forehead, startled that he'd zoned out enough so that someone--_anyone_ had managed to sneak up on him. "Buh?" he managed to get out when he peered out from under the hand that was placed firmly on his skin and saw a few people gathered around his desk.

"Oh, so you _are_ alive," Aoko said from her position at his left side. He inwardly laughed at her words--if only she knew... "Class ended five minutes ago and you've just been sitting here like a bump on a log--"

"He doesn't _seem_ to have a fever," another voice murmured--a lower one...with sugary know-it-allness that could only mean one person.

The hand withdrew from Kaito's forehead just as he started to splutter, "_Hakuba?_"

The detective watched him carefully for a long moment, and Kaito suddenly--once again--felt like a bug in a glass jar, though he eyed the half-British boy just a sharply before the blond turned to address Aoko and her friend Keiko. "If anything, he feels a bit on the cold side...probably a few degrees lower than his normal temperature--"

"Oi, oi..." Kaito spoke up as he carefully stood up from his seat, a hand on his desk as he suddenly felt a bit shaky--damn this hunger! It was going to eat him alive if something didn't--he shoved that thought from his mind as he continued to object, "you didn't have to go and get all doctor on me--I told Aoko, it's just a bug--"

"One that makes you _that_ pale and _that_ out of it?" Aoko challenged, making Kaito shrink back a bit. He was _not_ in any condition to have a mop-chase. His best friend since childhood, however, approached him with enough fiery anger that he could _smell_ the blood pooling into her cheeks, making them go red.

Just a bit closer, he found himself thinking, watching Aoko's face carefully with a predator's eyes. Just a bit--

A finger poking his ribs snapped him out of it, thankfully. "And look at you! You're going to fall over at any _second!_" she shouted, drawing back her hand to clench it into a fist at her side. "Just what's going on with you, Kaito! You're starting to worry me!"

The magician visibly winced at that. It had only been a few _days_ since the Kaitou Kid heist...did he really look so awful? Then again...he hadn't really looked in a mirror lately...hadn't tried to test _that_ particular myth...

He opened his mouth to say something reassuring, but then Hakuba Saguru spoke up, asking a simple but awful question, "Kuroba...are you on drugs?"

Everyone gaped at the detective. Kuroba Kaito? Drugs? Not possible!

"_Of course I'm not!_" he denied fiercely, making Aoko and Keiko spin back to him with wide eyes. He paused for a moment, realizing that hadn't exactly helped his argument, acting out of character like that. He started to laugh a bit, running a hand through his wild hair. "Seriously. I'm _not_. Just...I haven't been feeling well lately and--"

"Kuroba," Hakuba interrupted seriously, cutting him off effectively, though he wasn't happy at all with the look the Brit kept giving him. "You look like a person who is suffering something called withdrawal--"

"I know what that is--" Kaito said impatiently only to be cut off again.

"--and if it's _not_ drugs--as you say it's not," the detective continued in that manner that most detectives got when they were hit upside the head with a clue, "then kindly tell all of us what it is that _is_ wrong with you because your story of an illness isn't very compelling considering the fact that you haven't even gone to a doctor for it--"

"Look," Kaito broke in firmly, eyes narrowing into a rarely-seen glare. He was already having to focus all of his control on keeping himself from just..._attacking_ any one of the three standing in front of him, so having to keep his temper in check was _not_ something he could really handle at the moment. "I'll be _fine_. I've just got a stomach virus or something. I haven't been very hungry lately--" Lies. So many lies! "--and my mom's been worried, too, but she's been helping me out, so I don't see what business it is of _yours_, otaku."

He expected Aoko to scold him for being so rude to Hakuba, or Hakuba to say something cutting in return--a battle of wits would actually be kind of soothing right then. At least it would have been _normal_. Instead, all he got in reply was a silent stare from the larger teenager while the two girls watched the two of them with some trepidation.

Kaito's shoulders slumped tiredly as he sighed again, rubbing a hand over his eyes. He was too tired to even stay _angry_ anymore. Especially since the pounding in his head was getting noticeably louder with each passing second.

He froze, his eyes widening under his hand as he realized.

...he was starting to lose control.

His hands were shaking, his body was shivering--he had to lean on his arm whose hand was still flat on the desk as he nearly doubled over at the pain that hit his gut. That sharp pain of hunger that he hadn't really felt with such intensity since the night he first woke up like this.

Shouts of alarm rose up from Aoko and Keiko while Hakuba tried to keep them calm, but everything was being drowned out by the flurry of sounds their racing hearts made--even Hakuba's was faster than normal. Apparently, the detective was worried about him--how noble, he couldn't help but to think with a bit of amusement before the pain twisted in his gut like a hot knife.

He clenched his teeth, determined not to cry out in pain. Kuroba Kaito did not let things like this get the best of him. He wasn't going to let it--even though he had no strength left since it was all being used to keep from falling over or, even worse, doing anything to hurt people he actually considered his friends and loved ones. Strange how Hakuba somehow wormed his way in there, but--

His muddled and racing thoughts suddenly came to a stop when out of the rush that was going on near him came a calm and steady presence.

Someone who knew what was wrong and maybe how to help.

Kaito forced an eye open, having not realized he'd closed them, to see Koizumi Akako talking things over with the three who had been with him when the "attack" started. Apparently, Koizumi was offering to take him to a doctor while Hakuba walked the girls home and Aoko would call Kaito's mother to let her know that he'd be home late that day.

It was a semblance of order that the three of them took to immediately, though Kaito could have sworn he saw Hakuba give him one last look before he led the girls out of the classroom.

Kaito relaxed a bit, the pain easing a bit to the point where he could catch his breath. As he gasped in enough air to soothe his aching lungs--funny, why did his lungs hurt from lack of air?--he watched as the witch approached him without any worry at all--calm as could be.

"I don't..." he started to say tiredly before pausing to wince a bit as he lowered his hand from his eyes to his stomach, "I don't think...y-you should get any...closer, K-Koizumi--"

A small laugh, almost patronizing in sound, escaped the teenaged girl as she stopped right beside him, her arm brushing against his shoulder. Then with a bit of amusement, she bent over so she could see his sweating face. "Hurts, doesn't it, Kuroba Kaito?" she asked with a smile.

Not seeing anything funny about his situation--he hadn't found anything funny about it since it _happened_--Kaito responded with a feral grin, "No, not--at all...perfectly fine--will be a-able to do all--sorts of stunts...just gimme a minute."

The witch chuckled lowly at that, standing straight and watching him for a long moment. Then came the words...those sweet, beautiful words Kaito thought he would never hear. "I know something that could temporarily ease the pain," Koizumi stated with perfect honesty.

He could have sobbed in relief. Instead, he took a deep breath and let it out in a slow, shaky sigh before turning his head to look up at her with a suspicious look. "And? ...what's the catch?"

The girl held up her hand in a shrugging manner. "No catch," she insisted lightly before lowering her hands and grinning down at him. "Of course. You should know that once you've taken this small remedy, it will be hard to stop--"

"Will it work or not?" he asked shortly, not interested in hearing about the consequences.

He could deal with that later--he always could deal with the consequences later.

The witch's expression closed. She wasn't smiling anymore. "Of course it will work," she answered before sitting herself on the top of the desk he was leaning on. As if she had all the time in the world, she continued to explain, "It's hard, isn't it? Feeling that sort of hunger, that sort of need--only your morals, your own mind is fighting against those new instincts that have been forced into your very being. Most of the young ones die this way...the way you're dying right now--"

"I've already died," he bit out before looking down at the desktop again as he numbly recalled that night. "I died...and now I'm like this...living but _dead?_"

A sigh came from above him. "Not dead," Koizumi said patiently. "But--oh, yes...you did, indeed, die that night, Kuroba Kaito. And he--that one that did this to you...he merely brought you back from the grave, marking you as something that is now rarely seen in this day and age--given a gift that few truly manage to receive, though they struggle to attain it."

"What?" Kaito asked with a bit of laughter in his voice--he could hardly believe he was having this conversation! "Immortality? I never wanted it--"

"Does that matter?" the girl responded with an amused tone of her own. "Now...do you want a temporary solution? I assure you...you will be well again, but it is only temporary. Fledglings such as yourself always struggle with this and, as I've said, most win the battle of morality but lose the war of life."

The magician screwed his eyes shut as he could feel the hunger grow as his exhaustion stole his strength away. To think...he'd felt fine that morning...just fine...when he was still at home...away from everyone else who were filled with the living substance that he craved.

But it was like Koizumi said...a battle of morality versus that painful hunger. If morality won, he would starve and die--again...permanently this time, he was sure. If the hunger won--

He was loathed to say it, but he choked out the words, "Give me the temporary solution..."

Kaito could practically feel her eyes on his back.

There was a long pause in which Koizumi slipped down from the desk and walked around from behind him again, this time actually reaching out to put a hand to his shoulder--an action that made the hunger spike within him, and Kaito resisted the urge by biting into his lower lip.

The witch's amused voice came then. "None of that anymore, Kuroba Kaito," she said lowly, inching even closer and putting her other hand on his trembling arm. "I told you that I have a solution. You said that you wanted it. Now...tell me again. Do you want this solution?"

His breath was catching in his throat again, the pain returning with a vengeance as he struggled to come up with the answer he needed.

He didn't want to do this.

But he couldn't die right there--right _then_--like that.

Kaito was mortified as he felt his closed eyes moisten with tears that he wouldn't allow to fall. This wasn't the time...it wasn't the place--he didn't want to, but he _had_ to--

"Please...Koizumi..." he managed to get out through the lump that was forming in his throat.

It hurt.

But it wasn't just the physical pain the hunger created that kept him doubled-over. Somehow...he felt as if he was sentencing himself to a different sort of death--one that he couldn't be revived from.

The witch said nothing, merely slid her hands along his arm and shoulders so that she could help him up from his almost-curled position, so that she could turn him to face her, so that she could hold him in her arms, his head laying almost awkwardly on her shoulder. And for a long moment, neither of them spoke or moved.

Kaito continued to shake and tremble, from both fear and pure and utter exhaustion that the pain had created.

...nothing was happening.

But the hunger was slowly dying away--

_Thump-thump._

His damp eyes shot open, staring almost fearfully at the skin that lay before him. Koizumi tilt her head back at such an angle that Kaito could easily see the vein that lay temptingly underneath.

_Thump-thump._

"What are you waiting for, Kuroba Kaito?" Koizumi asked quietly when he remained stock-still in her arms. "Here is your solution. Take it."

_Thump-thump._

He licked his lips the way a man who'd seen the first sign of water in days would. But he still didn't move. He _couldn't_.

_Thump-thump._

But oh...how he was tempted...

_Thump-thump._

The witch lifted a hand from one of his shoulders to place it tenderly against his cheek, slowly pushing him toward her. "What is morality when all you have left is your own life--your own duties?" she whispered in his ear. "Will you simply stop your search here? Let it all end in such a way?"

_Thump-thump._

No, of course not, he thought to himself, but the words wouldn't go any farther than his own mind. Instead, his hands that had fallen to his sides when Koizumi had taken him into her arms drifted to her waist as he slowly started to stand on his own again.

_Thump-thump._

She was smiling. He could tell even without having to look. "Good..." she cooed softly, her hand calmly stroking his cheek as he stood straight, no longer needing her strength to support him--just needing--

_Thump-thump._

There wasn't any thinking--or if there was, he couldn't recall any actual words being processed as a thought. All there was, was simply sensations--smells, touches, sounds...especially that sound. That special sound that had him hypnotized. Just like on that night--

_Thump-thump._

Whatever doubts left in his mind were gone as the sound continued on, perfectly in time with the pulsing stabs of pain caused by his hunger. Koizumi said she had the solution. And she did.

_Thump-thump._

In abundance.

_Thum-thump._

It was a pure delight...listening and practically feeling that pulse quicken as he drew _her_ into _his_ arms. So much of one, that he actually felt a low chuckle escape him. This was right. This was necessary.

_Th-thump._

It was practically perfect, he thought idly to himself as he leaned forward, pulled her closer.

_Th-thump._

Her heart was racing--just for him, only for him as he nuzzled her neck for a moment. No, he didn't want it done the way it was done to him--that hadn't been enjoyable at all. But this...he knew that she had to be enjoying it.

_Th-thump._

Afterall...wasn't she one of the ones that was always chasing after him?

_Th-thump._

"Shhh..." he murmured with a grin on his face before kissing her neck softly. He could hear her breath catching in her chest, though it wouldn't have been noticeable to anyone else--if there had been anyone else in the room. That was it, then...that was the way it should be done...

_Th-thump._

Even with the hunger building steadily throughout his body, he didn't hurry, didn't rush. It was fine...he could take his time. She wouldn't move unless he wanted her to. She wanted it just as much as he did...and to show his appreciation, he pulled her closer, allowed his hands to wrap around her smaller frame and run along her spine in a way that had her back arching.

_Th-thump._

A gasp actually escaped her then as he took advantage of her positioning and leaned in to kiss her neck again--this time a deeper kiss, one accompanied by small nips that made small tears in the skin that he quickly lapped the blood from. Even with such a little amount, it was so very satisfying--potent in a way he was sure was rare in other people.

_Th-thump._

Her hands were now the ones taking advantage of their positioning. The one on his face slid down along his cheek and neck before falling onto his chest, almost in a manner that was a safe-guard--ridiculous notion that it was. There wasn't a safe-guard. What was hers was now his--

_Th-thump._

Every lost drop.

_Th-thump._

It was in the next kiss that he let the hunger take over, allowing it to drive his teeth into her flesh--into that very vein that had been driving him mad with want, need, _hunger_. And she made no sound--going completely still in his arms, body shaking with that pain and pleasure he knew she felt.

_Th-thump-th-thump._

He had felt that sort of pain and pleasure before--but now...he only felt the pleasure--relieving his hunger, energizing his weary bones--as he continued to drink from that fount that almost seemed to never want to give its last--

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

Funny how there was still enough room between them that he could still pull her to him--until she was firmly pressed against his body--not in such a frightening, painful way like he had been that night...but rather...something a little more intimate--

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

She was clinging to him now. _Finish it. Finish it!_ that was what she was thinking, he was sure. Who wouldn't? It was rapture, that kind of pleasure and pain mixed together. But of course, it was too soon--much, much too soon--

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-th-thump_

He froze, blood in his mouth and still flowing from the wound, but Kaito himself froze. Part of him was puzzled. He was pretty sure that wasn't how the rhythm was supposed to go...

Another part of him was just reawakening to a horrible sight and realization.

He was _killing_ Koizumi.

Almost as if she were on fire, he pushed her away from himself as he backed away, tripping over his own feet and falling onto the floor, his back striking hard again a student seat. Koizumi herself hit another student seat but managed not to fall over like Kaito had. Instead, she stood there, blood running down her neck, panting.

It was only when he was sure that for the moment she would be all right that Kaito put a hand to his mouth, feeling sick about what he'd just done--about how he'd _done_ what he'd just done. How could he have just...? And in such a way like that--!

"Feel better, Kuroba Kaito?"

He looked over to the witch to see her standing straight and--wait...where was the blood?

Kaito stared at her unblemished neck, dumbfounded.

Koizumi flicked some of her hair behind her shoulder, still panting, still sweating, but a sly smile on her face.

...she was smiling like the cat who'd gotten the canary.

Disbelief was the main reason Kaito stammered as he shouted, "H-how did--when--w-what--?"

She blinked innocently at him--though at that moment, Kaito was pretty sure she was about as innocent as a well-practiced servant girl from the red light distract. "What are you going on about, Kuroba Kaito? Weren't you sick? Good to see that you've gotten better," she said with a polite smile as she closed her eyes to mimic a kind expression. "I'm sure the others will be so relieved."

"..._huh?_" he demanded in the most direct way he could think of while he was sitting there on his ass--_in a classroom_ where he'd just--and _she_--!

...right?

Koizumi turned her back to him, reaching over the student desk to gather a couple of student packs. She idly tossed one over to him while heading for the exit. "Be sure to lock up when you leave, Kuroba Kaito. Wouldn't want any hoodlums to use this school as their _playground_, now would we?"

And then she calmly walked out, leaving Kaito on the ground in the classroom, confused beyond all hell.

They...had--hadn't they?

-

-

Kaito shut the door to his house as he took off his shoes. "I'm home," he called out to his mother, who had most likely been waiting for him ever since Aoko had called earlier.

He heard a sound from the kitchen and dropped his school bag at the doorway--something he was always scolded for doing--before shuffling over to the location of the house he was sure his mother was in. Hands in his pockets--one way to help him keep up his Poker Face, he entered the kitchen to see his mother calmly washing dishes.

He leaned against the doorway, smiling a bit, happy for a bit of normalcy.

...despite the fact that even though his hunger was at least somewhat satiated, he could _still_ hear that terrible rhythm.

"Hey, Mom," he spoke up, catching her attention and making her look up with a bit of a smile. "Sorry I'm a bit late, but--"

And in less than two seconds, Kaito found himself in the middle of a fierce hug. Caught off-guard--this was becoming a habit that he needed to fix, apparently--he just stood there for a long moment, fists clenching in his pockets. "Thank goodness you're all right, Kai-chan," his mother said quietly in his ear as one of her hands ran over his mussed hair as it was wont to do ever since he had been a kid.

Then she released him, and he awkwardly tried to fix his hair--which couldn't ever be fixed, but he ignored that--as he laughed a bit. "Yeah...sorry to scare everyone," he said as he shoved the hand back into his pocket. "Aoko called you about me being sick, right?"

The woman sighed in a tolerant manner, crossing her arms. "Honestly, sometimes the only way I know something is going on with you is _through_ Aoko-chan," she said in a matronly manner that left Kaito wanting to sneak off right then and there. His mother could have her moments, but more often than not, they usually meant-- "So I was thinking. Why don't we go out to eat sometime this week? It has been a while since we've been able to sit down together..."

Kaito smiled brightly before agreeing. "Sure, Mom. I don't think I'm doing very much this week at work anyway," he answered in the manner he knew she would want.

For his mother, he would be the perfect son--perfectly _troublesome_ son at times, but who was really paying attention to things like that? Besides that, though...he was honestly afraid of agreeing to doing any sort of thing alone with her. He didn't want anything to happen--lest he lose control when he didn't expect it.

But his mother gave him a wide smile and another hug before taking him by the shoulders and facing him toward the exit of the kitchen. "Now," she said cheerfully. "You know the routine--"

"Yeah, yeah," he said with a good-naturedly disgruntled tone that he softened with a smile over his shoulder as he headed toward his room.

He heard his mother sigh in exasperation just as he began to close the door. "That boy...always leaving his things around...what will I do with him...just like his father...maybe even _worse_--"

Kaito tried not to think about the danger he was to her as he shut the door.

-

-

All through that night and the morning of the next day, Kaito couldn't stop thinking about what had exactly happened in the classroom with Koizumi. It _wasn't_ just his imagination. He _had_ bitten her--she _had_ been bleeding from her neck in that way--and _they_ had been...

But there was still some things that weren't adding up. How did Koizumi manage to not have a bleeding neck when he looked at her again? Well, he knew she was a witch and everything, but wasn't that going a bit _too_ far with the hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo? And another thing that bothered him was the simple fact that she had told him that there was no catch to her solution--temporary, though it was, as she had told him.

There had been a catch.

_He_ had been _her_ catch. The one thing she'd been chasing after for so long since she first tried to offer him chocolate and he refused. The only person not to fall under her spell--Kaitou Kid and Kuroba Kaito, the same person--was how she'd found out his secret, even if he continued to deny it.

The hours ticked by. Kaito went through his normal routine of meeting up with Aoko on the way to school--which resulted in her trying to thwack him for scaring her like he did yesterday--making it to class before the tardy bell rang, and receiving a suspicious look from Hakuba as he took his seat in class.

Kaito had a sinking feeling that he wasn't being watched for a chance to find proof of his being Kaitou Kid for once.

As all of these things continued on as per normal--though with all the headaches and pangs of hunger he felt now--one thing was happening to him that wasn't normal at all.

He was more than acutely aware of Koizumi's presence wherever he went. He could practically _smell_ the witch and her blood from across the school building during a break period.

...and it was driving him _nuts_.

Kaito didn't want any more blood. He didn't want to be this...monster that did things like _that_--especially the way he'd done it to Koizumi--!

But it was just as he had thought to himself when he was faced with the choice of starving to death with that hunger ripping through him with wave after wave of pure agony or surviving until the next time it got that bad--surviving until he finished what he had started in his search for the Pandora--vampires be damned!

Something within Kaito himself had _died_...and now that bit of control that he had managed to keep in place in order to not attack anyone at random was completely shot.

Now the want to attack everyone was solely focused on Koizumi--especially since he could see her, hear her, smell her, _taste_--

He wanted to beat his head in, _that's_ what he wanted to do.

He'd never _once_ had those sorts of feelings or thoughts about the witch before that incident, but now she was plaguing his mind and all his five senses plus whatever new ones he'd gotten from this...curse. Yet another thing that was completely and utterly unfair. In saving his life, the girl--evil _woman_--had sentenced him to following her every movement whether or not he consciously realized it.

...and most of the time he _did_ consciously realize it.

It was so unfair.

Then again, he was a bit relieved to not be tracking Aoko in such a way. _That_ had definitely been a near thing. If Koizumi hadn't come in when she did yesterday, Aoko, Keiko...hell, even Hakuba would have probably been killed--_maybe_. Either that, or he'd be the dead one because he could only really attack them one at a time...

And once again, he was caught off-guard by someone surprising him with a mop swing to the head.

Kaito managed to duck at the last moment before he spluttered up at his childhood friend from his crouched position, "W-what the hell, Aoko! I wasn't doing anything this time, I swear!"

The girl eyed him suspiciously but withdrew her mop. She didn't put it away, but it was better that it was now in a position where she couldn't swing it at him so easily without some warning. Kaito stood up, rubbing his head, giving the impression of some relief while he still remained inwardly bewildered. "Jeez, what are you doing sneaking out of no where like a ninja like that? It's not good for the heart, you know--"

He paused, as if listening to his own words. Something...was off.

Kaito blinked as he stared at Aoko who remained silent in front of him. "Aoko?" he asked with some hesitation. Silence was never a good thing, especially when that sound beat like _that_. "O-oi, Aoko? Are you okay? Is something--waaah!"

However she managed to get that mop up and swinging so fast, Kaito had no clue, but he managed to duck each blow she gave. "W-wait a minute, Aoko!" he managed to shout at her while he danced nimbly away from her. "What's wrong with you? You at least start yelling insults at this point--"

It was as though those words were magic. "Kaito, you--YOU JERK!"

Heh? was what his brain was thinking. What his mouth automatically said without much thought was a laughing, "See? Now _there's_ the Aoko I kno--_ack!_ ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME OR SOMETHING, MAD WOMAN!"

Aoko shrieked back, "TAKE IT LIKE A MAN, YOU--YOU _BOY!_"

And thus, the first mop-chase since that Kaitou Kid heist began. Kaito would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't started off so oddly. First of all, he didn't do anything to instigate the whole thing--a bit unusual but not uncommon. Second of all, Aoko hadn't insulted him or started yelling until he mentioned it--something she only did when she was obviously troubled by something she didn't want to admit to or talk about, which was fine.

But worst of all was reason number three.

Even with most of all of his hunger's attention directed toward the witch he somehow knew was a couple of classrooms away, doing some task before they had to get to History, there was this small bit of his hunger that was taking sharp notice of Aoko.

A swing from the mop almost caught him in the left side as he realized this. Of course, even when he realized it, it didn't necessarily _hit him_ until he found himself admiring the sight of her reddening face, listening intently to that strong heart of hers that just continued to beat faster and faster as she continued to try to hit him--it didn't seem like it would ever really reach its true top speed anytime soon, either.

And even as his realization began to dawn and he started to become more than a bit fearful for Aoko's safety, one simple thought made him freeze at the wrong moment and--_BAM!_

Aoko froze as well, looking puzzled. She tilted her head, studying the kneeling position of her best friend and the mop that had broken when it hit him across his head.

Only when Kaito blinked at her and reached up to feel the lump, his hand lowering a bit afterward with some blood on it, did Aoko drop the handle of the mop, crying out in alarm, "Kaito! Are you okay? You're bleeding! You idiot--_why didn't you dodge?_"

Kaito laughed a bit at that question--almost afraid to answer the question, lest the truth slipped out.

The girl knelt next to him, pushing his hand away as she tilted his head to inspect the wound. "Jeez...always dodging and dodging and the one time you don't, all you do is laugh at yourself while you're _bleeding_," she muttered without noticing his odd behavior--a relieving thing, Kaito thought to himself as he continued to look anywhere else except for Aoko. "This is just so typical of you. You have no sense of self-preservation at all! Even when you were so sick, you still insisted you were fine--and now this!"

Kaito didn't interrupt her rambling. Let her ramble. Let her be distracted. Because if she focused her attention on him--that was it, he'd lose it.

He swallowed heavily as he stared at the blood on his hand.

Such a little amount really, compared to the almost feast he'd had with Koizumi, but still...just watching as the blood began to drip down his hand onto his wrist and then further...

He shut his eyes as Aoko continued to still call him an idiot and babble about doctors and phone calls to his mother--he didn't catch all of it, but that was a good thing. That meant all of his focus was on keeping his hunger from turning its head any further to see Aoko sitting there innocently beside him, helping him.

Kaito didn't want to hurt her.

His hunger didn't care what Kaito wanted.

Luck, however, was atypically on Kaito's side as a new voice broke in through Aoko's ramblings.

"Oh? Something wrong with Kuroba-kun again, Nakamori-chan?"

Kaito looked up to see Koizumi looking down at him with a smile.

That same smile she'd given him the day before.

Aoko smiled in relief. "Oh, Akako-chan!" she said cheerfully, perfectly oblivious to the silent exchange passing between the witch and magician. "Yeah, this idiot didn't get out of the way of a swinging mop and now he's just sitting there like the idiot he is."

"Is that right?" Koizumi responded with a raised eyebrow while Kaito bit the inside of his cheek, not wanting to say anything different than what Aoko had said, not wanting to lose control.

"Yeah," Aoko sighed before turning her attention to said idiot, pushing his hair out of the way to get a better look of the wound. "Well, it's not really that bad, but it bled a lot for such a small injury...no surprise there, really. Kaito's such an idiot, all the blood rushes to his head and slows his movements."

At that, he couldn't help but to laugh. "Yeah, probably," he agreed before carefully leaning away from Aoko's touch--it was _not_ what he needed right then, as much as he appreciated the thought behind her actions. "But I'll be fine. I'll just head to the doctor's office and get a head-wrap or something."

Again came that _not right_ feeling that he'd gotten before the whole mop-chase had started. Kaito looked to Aoko--a mistake in the fact that now his hunger had almost its full attention on her. He fought it back before anything happened. "Something wrong, Aoko?"

The girl sat up straight as if she was caught in the act of doing something she shouldn't have been doing. "What? Wrong? No! Why would you ask that, Kaito?" she quickly denied, waving a hand at him as she stood up.

He almost reached out to stop her, but the sight of blood on his hand put a stop to that quick enough. Instead, Aoko brushed herself off and sighed. "Well, you should go on ahead and get that thing looked at. I'll tell the teacher where you've gone off to--"

"Could you also tell him that I'll be accompanying Kuroba-kun there?" Koizumi asked in a perfectly innocent manner than made Kaito shoot a discreet suspicious look at her. This person was _not_ innocent in any way, he thought grimly to himself.

But Aoko--unknowing, caring Aoko just shrugged as she pushed some hair behind her ear. "Sure. You have an injury that needs looking at, too, Akako-chan?"

What Kaito saw as a sly smile but anyone else would mistaken for a genuinely sweet one crossed the witch's face as she answered, "Something like that, yes."

Aoko nodded, agreeing to deliver the message, and then her attention was on Kaito again as she shook his head. "Honestly, only _you_ would get lucky enough to skip History and not have your grades effected--you better be happy I hit you in the head, Kuroba Kaito."

He didn't even get a chance to object--even as the pleading _Please don't leave me alone with this woman! I promise I'll never flip your skirt again!_ ran through his head, he just dumbly stared at her as she smartly pivoted on her feet, turning her back to him and then marching off.

...he was doomed.

"Hm?" Koizumi spoke up as soon as Aoko was out of sight--out of mind. Kaito turned to see that she was leaning toward him, studying his face intently with that smile. "Didn't I say that you didn't have to do that any longer, Kuroba Kaito? You'll just kill yourself by sucking yourself dry that way."

He grudgingly released his cheek from between his teeth and shot back with some dry irony, "It sure seems like you know a lot about this sort of thing. What? Was your last boyfriend a vampire?"

The witch remained undeterred and simply shrugged. "Not at all. I simply know more about these sorts of things because they're what I specialize in," she said with an air of superiority. She stood up straight, putting a finger to her chin in thought. "Yes, just like how I knew that by having you feed from me, you wouldn't feel as pressured to find someone to willingly give you what you sought."

She glanced down at him again, taking in his blank but dumbfounded expression. "Didn't I tell you? This was the step most fledglings such as yourself fail to take. They take morality into their own hands and let themselves die rather than tell anyone about their changes, rather than be looked at with horror." She turned away from him for a moment, glancing down the hall. "But you're one of the lucky ones, Kuroba Kaito. You have a willing source--one that won't take this secret of yours with any amount of distaste.

"In fact," she continued with an amused and thoughtful tone, "dare I say that you actually surprised me? Such gentle ministrations--truly in a manner of a gentleman--"

"So you knew that this would happen," Kaito broke in before she could go on about it any further. He still felt a bit weirded out and sick about the way he had done things. "That I'd--"

She looked to him over her shoulder. "That you'd seek me out again for more?" she asked with mild amusement. "Of course. After all...wouldn't you rather continue to hurt a person you have no personal attachments to?"

An incredulous eyebrow was raised. "I would rather not have to deal with this at all."

The witch shrugged, holding her hands in the air. "_C'est la vie_, Kuroba Kaito. Or in your case--such is immortality." She paused before completely turning away from him again and walking off. "If you think things are hard now, I'll warn you just this once. You have yet to get to the most troublesome and painful points of your new life."

That made Kaito stop short from shooting back any harsh words. There was something worse than all these things that he'd had to deal with up to this point. The whole dying bit, the constant hunger, the sounds of people's heartbeats banging a headache into his skull wherever he went--there was something worse than thinking such horrible thoughts about his childhood friend and the person he really and truly cared for--even if he'd rather die again than admit it and hurt her with his secrets...especially now, he couldn't say anything about that.

Thoughts that ran along the lines of: _Such strength, such passion, such a intoxicating smell--I have to have her! Have to know her, taste her, keep her--as mine alone..._

...what could possibly be _worse?_

"W-wait, Koizumi," he called out before she got too far. The witch paused, turning back to face him, arms crossing over her chest as he stood himself up onto his feet. Kaito took in a deep breath before he asked the dreaded question. "What can you tell me about vampires?"

That smile crossed her face again. "Right now? Hardly anything."

He inwardly winced. Yeah, he expected this. "So...what would it take for you to give me more information?" he asked almost daringly, though secretly fearing he already knew the answer.

That smile softened on her face, and unless his eyes were deceiving him, Koizumi almost seemed...saddened. But then before he could think on it any further, she spun on her heel--in much the same manner Aoko had but without that certain...spark that made Aoko's so much more graceful--and started to walk off.

Alarmed, thinking he'd asked the wrong question, Kaito opened his mouth to call out again only to be cut off by her voice calmly commanding, "Come."

He hesitated, watching as she continued to walk.

Kaito clenched his hands into fists for a moment before shaking them loose. The witch knew he would follow. He needed that information. He needed her help to survive whatever trials were set before him now thanks to that person who'd done this to him.

...he hated himself for calmly following her lead.

-

-

How they managed to avoid detection from any teachers or faculty members when all they were doing was walking straight through the building, up stairs, until they reached the roof was beyond Kaito. Normally, he'd have to at least _sneak_ while skipping class--not that he regularly did anything of the sort--but still, it was...odd.

And yet not, especially when he reminded himself yet again who it was he was following.

But their walk was over. They were now standing several feet from each other, watching each other--one uncertain and one seemingly calm. There was no one there--the only people who would have been on the roof, skipping class, had apparently been forewarned not to come at that particular time. Instead, they were alone.

And the door was shut behind him.

Kaito calmed his raw nerves even as his hunger expressed its need to be satiated. Not yet. He still needed answers.

"I came," he stated flatly. "Now what?"

Koizumi remained silent but closed her eyes as she smiled--that smile he thought he'd caught a glimpse of before. "You act as if I'm giving you a death sentence," she said after a long moment of silence.

"Well," Kaito responded as amicably as possible, stuffing his hands into his pockets in a relaxed manner, "I can't really say I'm happy about having to go through all of this. Not _your_ fault that what happened to me happened, but this...this is really--"

He stopped and shook his head. "Never mind what this is," he said, reminding himself that he had told himself that he would deal with the consequences. This was just part of the consequences he would face for the choice he made. "Like I asked before: now what?"

"Kiss me."

Even Poker Face couldn't have saved him from hiding his shock at hearing such a request. "What?"

The witch's face was blank. She wasn't going to give anything away without a price. "You heard what I said, Kuroba Kaito," she stated firmly.

...oh, well then, Kaito thought to himself with some irony. At least he wasn't mishearing things--or misinterpreting her intentions.

But he shook his head, more at the idea that this was being asked of him than giving her a negative answer to her request--command, even. "Koizumi..." he started slowly before furrowing his brow, letting her know that he was confused and didn't understand. "What is it exactly that you want out of this? To help me? To take advantage of my situation? I don't know anything about what's going on, but that's part of the reason I'm willing to listen to your requests. But...this--"

He stopped himself again, sighing tiredly.

It was almost getting ridiculous how many times he'd thought to himself those same three words: _This isn't fair._

Apparently, Koizumi knew what he was going to say and merely continued his thought for him. "Isn't fair?" she asked, a cynical air rising with her words as she spoke. "After everything you have gone through, is that all that you can say? Life isn't fair, Kuroba Kaito. Life does not _choose_--people like _you_ make the choice to live or die--"

"And what about people like you?" Kaito broke in calmly. "Didn't you make a choice on whether or not to help me yesterday?"

The witch smirked at that. "Have you ever heard someone say the phrase, 'A secret is what makes a woman, woman,' Kuroba Kaito?" she asked instead of answering. "You should probably take it to heart--"

"And _you're_ avoiding the question," he pointed out.

"There is no answer to give," she retorted smoothly. Then, almost immediately after she finished speaking, she started to walk toward him.

Kaito instinctively backed away, not wanting the hunger that was rising within him to grow even stronger as she came closer. "Koizumi--" he started to say in almost a warning but didn't get to finish as his back hit the door and wall behind him.

Trapped.

And in more ways than one.

She kept walking to him, and his hunger continued to rise, striking his gut with that knife-like pain that made him lean against the wall more, a hand going to his abdomen as he winced.

And she kept coming closer.

"K-Koizumi..." he gritted out, an eye sliding shut as he tried to focus on pushing the hunger back.

It wouldn't be deterred. It had missed its chance with Aoko, now it had a supply it knew well coming straight at him. It wouldn't back down, just continued to make him gasp in pain.

...it hurt even worse than it did the day before.

"Each time it gets worse," Koizumi's voice said from directly in front of him--just barely out of his reach. "With every feeding you have, the pain grows steadily worse. If you even try to fight against the hunger once it's awaken in such a way--you will die."

So that was another consequence, he thought to himself as he screwed both of his eyes shut, turning his head away from her as her heartbeat finally made it past his last layer of defense against that gnawing hunger.

_Thump-thump._

The steady beat was ripping his control from him. Bit by bit. Slowly...in the most agonizing way possible.

_Thump-thump._

Even though she was at a distance he couldn't reach her, part of him was sure that not much was needed to close that distance.

_Thump-thump._

While the other part of him refused to go down without a fight.

_Thump-thump._

He continued to hiss out uneasy breaths through clenched teeth until he was able to collect himself just enough to get out a strangled, "Just...tell me _why_." He opened his eyes to meet hers and would have been surprised to see how saddened they were--if the last of his control hadn't slipped.

_Thump-thump._

He closed his eyes again, but this time it was to calm his shaking form. A smirk caught onto his face without much thought to it. Then almost as if it was an entirely different person speaking, he calmly said in a steady voice, "If that's what you want..."

_Thump-thump._

He opened his eyes again to meet her watching eyes with the sharp stare of a predator. He slowly straightened himself, and once he was firmly on his feet again, he finished what he had meant to say, "...but that isn't all there is to it, is it?"

_Thum-thump._

Even though she should have been out of immediate reach, somehow he was able to just reach out and grab her by the wrist, pulling her toward him--past him. Only when she had her back to the wall did he press in close, his hands taking hers and pinning them firmly against the wall on either side of her head.

_Th-thump._

It was almost reminiscent to the position he'd found himself in only days ago, when he'd been pinned onto the ground on the roof of that building. The difference was that he wasn't going to be so cruel. No...like before, he would take his time.

_Th-thump._

It was what she wanted, after all.

_Th-thump._

"So which is it?" he asked her quietly in a low voice as he continued to watch her eyes that were staring into his own almost numbly. She wouldn't answer.

_Th-thump._

Because he already knew.

_Th-thump._

He pushed his body against hers so that there was no room left to spare. It had her holding her breath so that she wouldn't make a sound. Smart girl. Who knew what kind of peeping toms would be out there? But wait...she had taken care of that, hadn't she? She definitely knew what she wanted.

_Th-thump._

And there was only so many ways to say "thank you" before things got boring.

_Th-thump._

It was the perfect time-keeper, really--her racing heart. He nuzzled at her neck just as he had the day before, this time taking the time to breathe in her scent, memorizing it for later use. It would always be good know where to find his little fountain of blood that sustained him.

_Th-thump._

He gently kissed her throat at the same time he rocked his hips against hers. Her hands clenched then while she gasped in a breath, not able to keep from breathing. He merely chuckled lowly at her reaction and continued with his "careful ministrations."

_Th-thump._

She was like putty in his hands, leaning against him as he pushed against her. It put an interesting spin to the pleasure he already knew from the last time he had drunk from her. Even with that hunger making him want to just bite down and not let go this time, he waited and decided to pull her hands above her head, crossing them at the wrist so that he could hold them there with one hand.

_Th-thump._

She was shaking with excitement and lack of air, since every time she gasped a breath in it seemed to leave her just as quickly. So he carefully lowered his now-free hand down to her hair, which he let his fingers trail through listlessly until they touched soft skin. Perhaps during a moment of just pure instinct, she turned her head toward those fingers until they were brushing across her lips--

_Th-thump._

Until they continued to trail their way down along her jaw and then to her neck. It was there that his quick and clever hand snaked its way between her body and the wall to push her neck forward, dipping her head back, giving him a larger area to roam, which he took great pleasure in doing.

_Th-thump._

Nipping at the soft flesh and then sucking at the small beads of blood that would well up combined with their bodies' motions was just enough to make him actually let out a low groan of pleasure.

_Th-thump._

He could feel her shudder against him as he continued his methodic work. All the shaking and quaking was just making his hunger more intense--but not just his hunger. After all, she had told him herself that he wasn't necessarily the vampire legends depicted--he could breathe, could hurt, could become aroused...

_Th-thump._

And it just added to the pleasure he got hearing her heat beat so frantically, hearing her breath in sharply, smelling her skin, and tasting her very self in the blood her body readily wept for him...

_Th-thump._

Like before, it was almost perfect.

_Th-thump._

Almost.

_Th-thump._

But he didn't focus on any of that, too engrossed in the sensations--sound, sight, touch, taste, smell...it was all building together in his gut the same way his hunger was--only it wasn't painful.

_Th-thump._

It was nothing but utter pleasure.

_Th-thump._

It was around then that he decided to do a little exploring. His hand bravely went ahead, sliding past her shoulder before curving around her side to come up against her right breast. A shaky breath informed him that she hadn't been expecting such a bold move. He grinned as he carefully ran a canine tooth along the throbbing vein in her neck.

_Th-thump._

Her back arched her body forward to meet his in a rather lascivious manner that made him almost involuntarily bite down on her neck--

_Th-thump._

Though he did respond heartily by gently cupping her breast and _then_ biting into her.

_Th-thump-th-thump._

Just like before, it was an almost never-ending flow pouring from that one vein. Unlike before, however, he knew to expect the unusual rhythm that would come when he'd taken enough to satisfy his hunger.

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

The question was now...did he feel generous enough to stop once that time came?

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

This time, even when under the pain and pleasure from the bite, she didn't go still. She continued to move along with him, meeting his body with hers, gasping at the different sensations that practically over loaded her own mind. It didn't matter to him, though, he was just as deeply moved by their movements.

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-th-thump._

And this time he knew what that irregular sound meant and pulled away from her, his hunger satisfied but not yet finished. He found himself grinning at her as he pulled himself from the flowing blood and lifted his hand from her chest to turn her face toward him.

She was pale, glistening with sweat, and panting heavily, but she still watched him...with those eyes that just always seemed to look just a bit too deep.

"So about that kiss," he murmured, and just as her eyes widened slightly as she realized what he meant to do, he bent closer to her face--

And planted a kiss on her cheek.

Koizumi blinked at this sudden change as he then released her hands and turned away from her to lean against the wall, where he hunched his shoulders and collected himself.

That, Kaito thought firmly to himself once he was sure he was in control again--though he was feeling more than a _bit_ embarrassed at the problem he had at the moment, was the most _unfair_ thing to have happened to him ever since that night!

But there wasn't really anything he could do about the behavior he exhibited when..._that_ happened.

Still...to have let things go that far...Kaito could feel the shame burning within him, fueling his anger and fear toward a certain witch.

But he shoved all of that down the same as he did to the hunger which he could have sworn was purring like a kitten within him, even when it still wasn't gone. It wouldn't ever be gone, he found himself thinking almost despairingly before he winced at his own temperament.

It wasn't as if it was the _worst_ thing that could happen. After all...he could have died that night, instead. He could have told Koizumi the day before that no, he didn't need her temporary solution. But had he? No. He was the stubborn idiot that had to keep moving forward in order to find the murderers of his father, recover Pandora. Consequences? What were those again?

Kaito gave a small laugh at his own thoughts--well, at least they were a bit more _normal_ now--just as he heard Koizumi move up behind him. He froze as she asked with an almost innocent curiosity that had to be false, "Something the matter, Kuroba Kaito?"

The teenaged boy muttered something under his breath about privacy as he pressed against the wall--hoping to be like a lizard and blend into the color so that she could go away, thinking him gone.

Instead, Koizumi positioned herself so that he could see her out of the corner of his eyes. She had an eyebrow raised and a hand on her hip. He sweated a bit, nervous, before he finally burst out, "Do ya mind? It's not like I wanted this to happen, you know!"

And then she _laughed_ at him.

Grumbling about witches who torment young men just to satisfy their own libido, Kaito let her know that he was _not happy_ by eyeing her darkly. He would eventually find some way to pay her back for this--but how does one going about embarrassing someone who was obviously not very closed-minded about a _lot_ of things.

Just as he was formulating a way to mutilate her in her sleep--he was sure his father would forgive him _just this once_ for breaking the No One Gets Hurt Rule; after all, his embarrassment had nothing to do with a heist--Koizumi decided then to offer, "I can help if you want."

Kaito slowly turned his head to stare at her with a half-moon gaze that he was sure clearly gave his answer.

But to make sure there was no mistake, he gritted out, "No. _Thanks._"

She'd done enough damage already.

-

-

Hours later, Kaito found himself walking home with Aoko, thinking over the events of the day. Sure, every time he thought about..._that_ happening, he firmly shut it from his mind, but it still burned him to think that he had done any of...well, _that._

It had only taken a short while for him to finally calm himself--his _whole_ self down enough so that he could face Koizumi and get some of the answers he needed from her. And the witch was surprisingly very giving once he asked again for information on what he was--vampire, immortal...or just some odd mix of both.

It was this information that he had churned over and over in his mind since he'd gotten back to class--just in time for the end of Calculus, the last class of the day. And since today had been their day to go home without having to do any clean-up, Aoko had patiently handed him his things, which he actually took the time to thank her for--though he couldn't exactly look her in the eye when he said it.

...some things just _shouldn't_ happen right before you were faced with that one person like Aoko.

So now the two of them were walking home--quietly, for once. Apparently, whatever had been bothering Aoko during that mop-chase was _still_ bothering her, and even though Kaito was really becoming worried that something was wrong, he did have a few things that were weighing down heavily on his mind.

Such as the fact that Koizumi had told him, even after he sort of already figured it out _himself_, that even though he was a vampire, he wasn't _dead_ or _un_dead. Just immortal...with an insatiable hunger for the blood of mortals. Which meant that all bodily functions still worked.

_"To put it into prospective, it would probably be easier to think of it like this: you died, correct? Your heart stopped beating and you were clinically dead. However--and this is the important part, Kuroba Kaito--your sire, the one who did this to you gave you back your life by giving you the blood he had taken from you. Your heart started to beat again, but now it's almost silent--so soft that it would leave doctors puzzled, in fact."_

And wasn't that just grand? A walking, talking, breathing person who had died and now was perfectly normal except their heart could hardly be a murmur, though it beat within his chest, and they had to drink _blood_ to keep on living that way.

It had taken a bit for him to actually understand why this was the case, but Koizumi had patiently broke it down for him as he was obviously someone who didn't dabble in this sort of thing--before he _was_ actually that sort of thing.

_"Do you know why the pagans often offered blood sacrifices to the gods, Kuroba Kaito? It is because the immortal gods could not live without the blood of another. Sometimes, animals could be used as substitutes, but you've heard tales of the virgin women tied to the stakes as an offering? Do you know why such people are given as an offering? Because a god...an immortal such as what you've become desires that sort of flesh...that blood. It is what keeps you alive--immortal."_

Kaito sighed quietly to himself as he remembered how he'd reacted to that particular speech. Disbelief warring with the fact that he somehow _knew_ Koizumi was right had him staring at her for a long while before he announced his distaste for being what he was.

She had a good laugh at that one.

But honestly, he thought crossly to himself as he and his childhood friend neared her house, who would want immortality for a price like that? It was just ridiculous--especially considering what a danger you would be to other people--

_"Why are you looking for Pandora?"_

Kaito froze, a foot hovering above the ground as that memory hit him, joining itself to the knowledge he'd learn that day and--

...no...that--that wasn't possible, was it?

"Kaito?"

"Heh?" He automatically responded as he looked up to see Aoko looking concerned at him a few steps in front of him. He put his foot down and laughed a bit. "Sorry. Was just thinking about something and realized--"

"You don't have to explain."

The shortness of her tone made him pause, blinking uncertainly. What was...? "Aoko?" he asked, wondering if that thing that had been bothering earlier was the culprit for her behavior right then.

She turned her back to him--so that he couldn't see her face. He knew that trick well enough to know it when he saw. Then she continued on as if she hadn't heard him, "I mean...what do you have to explain things to me for, anyway? All I am is just some silly girl you've known since you were a kid that you happen to walk to school with everyday. That...that doesn't mean you have to explain yourself to me, does it?"

Kaito felt like kicking himself in the head as he listened to her voice growing smaller and sadder as she continued on. "Aoko..." he said, not knowing what else to say.

The girl that he'd grown up with--grown to love and care for, even if he never showed it in any other way than pranks and childish insults--straightened her stance, squaring her shoulders before she calmly said, "You should just head home now and forget about walking me to the door. After all, you're probably going to be busy anyway--"

He cut her off the only way he could think of. Sneaking up behind her and slinging an arm around her to produce a flower before her eyes. "Hey," he said with a a soft but light tone, "don't be so upset. I know I'm not the best at being there all the time, but I haven't once thought of just leaving you on the street like that."

She didn't answer, didn't take his peace offering.

So he continued on, ignoring the fact that she had already told him that he didn't need to explain himself to her, "And anyway...I wouldn't explain myself to anyone else but you--and my mom...but she's kind of an exception with almost all of the rules--"

Aoko's hand on top of his own cut off his babbling long enough for him to take the time to begin peer around to see her face--out of habit and without thought to the hunger that was slowly reawakening. Though it was sluggish, it could mean danger to Aoko.

And Kaito didn't want anything bad to happen to that girl.

So he shoved the hunger back down and lay his head sideways on her shoulder, trying to get a look of her face, but she stubbornly kept it face away from him. "C'mon, Aoko," he said with a childishly pleading tone before he poked her with his free hand in a spot he knew was ticklish.

She twitched, but other than that and the fact that she was still holding his hand, she didn't give him an inch.

"C'mon..." he egged her on, grinning, even though he was becoming more and more afraid of that hunger awakening fully again. "You know you want to turn to me and just laugh at how silly we're both being--well, maybe _you're_ not acting silly, but I bet you _could_ if you'd just _look_ at me."

Aoko finally released a sigh that was similar to the one his mother would give him at times--exasperated, a "what am I going to do with you?" in one simple breath--before she finally turned to look at him.

Kaito had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from letting the hunger grow more than it already was.

Some things about Aoko...just made Kaito wish he wasn't the Kaitou Kid and wasn't some immortal out for blood. Both were hazards to her own safety and health and both he would give up in an instant if he could--

"See?" he said cheerily, giving her a typical grin, as wide as it would go with a bit of a snickering edge to it. "No need to be so upset. Things have just been a little weird for me lately, so I haven't exactly been the most communicative person in the world--"

"When have you ever been except when you're trying to avoid something?" she tossed back hotly, though he knew it was steam that was quickly going cold.

Kaito continued, undeterred, as if she hadn't spoken, "--and I didn't really mean to _ignore_ anyone--though I wish I could have done a better job at ignoring Hakuba, but you know him...he's just so..._British_."

That got him a thwack on the head with her free hand. "Idiot," she muttered, though unless Kaito's ears were deceiving him, there was a fond undertone that meant she was holding back a smile. "You shouldn't pick on Hakuba-kun like that. Especially when you were so rude to him yesterday--!"

"Yes, yes," he responded lightly while he watched her for a moment as she seriously considered whether or not he would get another thwack or not. Before she could carry out her obvious sentence of a _good_ smack upside the head, however, Kaito asked her in a quiet but serious manner, "Forgive me?"

Aoko glanced away from him for a moment, obviously trying to think of a reason _not_ give him yet another chance. He didn't mind this at all as it gave him a moment to wince at the first sign of pain that the hunger had given him since he'd feed that afternoon.

When she turned back, however, he was smiling again--as if nothing had happened.

Aoko gave yet another tolerant sigh before patting his head in a manner that suggested they were meant to be a punishment and not a comfort. "Fine. Fine," she agreed, making his grin widen. "But next time you get sick like that _don't_ just let me worry all night long! If you were okay after you saw the doctor, you should have let me know!"

He lifted his head from her shoulder, laughing. "Yeah, sorry about that. Like I said--been real weird lately--eh?"

Kaito blinked at the feeling of Aoko's other hand cupping over his hand with the flower still waiting to be taken.

"Idiot," she said with a soft voice, "You should tell me if something's wrong with you..._especially_ when things are weird with you. Understand?"

The magician continued to stare for a moment before nodding--before realizing she couldn't _see_ his nod and answering, "Yeah, I understand. I'll do better--"

"Good," Aoko broke in with a more happy tone that was such a complete 180 that Kaito almost didn't follow along as she snatched the flower from his hand and sniffed it appreciatively. Just before he could think of anything smart to say about bi-polar tendencies, she rather viciously informed him, "Oh, Himejima-sensei gave me your assignments--and since you didn't have the class period to work them in, I hope you don't have anything planned tonight, otherwise it'll never get done--"

"Eh?" Kaito shouted in disbelief before he looked into his carry-around, startled to see that there was, indeed, a lot of work to be done. "No way! How can he just _do_ that to me when I was _injured?_"

Aoko spun around to stick her tongue out at him. "That's what you get for being an idiot and not dodging when you should!" she sing-songed at him before running off ahead of him as he chased after her, shouting, "_I wouldn't have had to dodge if you weren't so determined to hit me, crazy woman!_"

She laughed at him as she retorted just as loudly, "_I wouldn't try to hit you if you weren't such an idiot, idiot!_"

"Oi!" he exclaimed indignantly, glad for some normalcy that actually helped him combat against that hunger that was still sluggishly awakening within him. "Come back here and say that to my face, little girl!"

"I'LL SHOW YOU LITTLE!"

It was nice to have things stay the same--especially when he'd just realized that everything up to this point in his life--ever since he'd donned the cape, hat, and monocle rested solely on that thought that had froze him in his tracks.

The one who had made him that way--his sire--had cornered him that way in order to gift him with immortality because he knew of Pandora--because of who he was.

It was now obvious that that person knew exactly what and where Pandora was.

It was now painfully obvious who that person might have been.

But right then, Kuroba Kaito pushed that thought from his mind.

Just a little longer, he inwardly pleaded to whoever or whatever would listen to his plea. Just a little more time as himself, then he'd take on the night once again to find that person and Pandora.

...if only to keep him from totally losing everything he had once he found a man who should have been well over eight years dead.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ Well...this is part of the reason that the rating is high is because of...well...scenes like the ones in this one thing :D;;; Yeah...and uber-longness, yes. 

For those of you who may be squicked by the pairing or the things that happened in general--you'll get no apologies from me. You think you're bad off? Pfft! I had to write this stuff! XD But seriously. Don't be squicked! This little series of stories about vampire!Kaito is actually a Kaito/Aoko pairing, mostly. ...it's just very...weird. -sweatdrops- Yeah. Whatever. I bet I hurt more than a few brains with this thing. -snerk-

Hope you all enjoyed!


	5. Two Edges of Beauty

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** Two Edges of Beauty  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #26 - Fire  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Nakamori Ginzo, Nakamori Aoko  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary:** "The beauty of the world has two edges, one of laughter, one of anguish, cutting the heart asunder." - Virginia Woolf

* * *

He was grinning. 

It was the one thing she hated most--that grin on his face. The one that taunted everyone and seemed to laugh at everything that went wrong for everyone else while he was able to perform flawlessly, able to get away with anything he set his mind to. The one that hid everything from his face, leaving no one the wiser of what he was thinking or feeling at that moment in time.

...he couldn't really blame her for hating it, really. He himself hated it just as much--if not more.

Especially at that moment, while he was trying to catch his breath, having hidden behind a large metal pipe in the boiler room. He hated himself for grinning so much that his face was hurting. But then again, if he didn't keep grinning that way, he'd probably snap, lose it, _something_ that would spell the end for him. If he lost it right then, that would be it--game over, and the other team won.

Not a lovely prospect at all.

So he was hiding and he was grinning, running a gloved hand down his face so he could wipe away the sweat that was trickling down in beads--no, wait...bullets would have probably been a better term, considering his situation.

Because they were there, bursting into the room with their guns held aloft, searching for him, ready to do away with him. He continued to grin, however, even when Snake came closest to him, seeming to almost know instinctively where the thief was hiding. He wouldn't actually have been surprised if the man _did_, in fact, know where he was hiding.

...but he was surprised by the shout that came from the doorway. His eyes widened in horror as he could see from his position Nakamori Genzou aiming a gun at one of Snake's men, shouting that they were all under arrest and if they didn't put their guns down the person he had a gun-point would be the first to go down. Nakamori-keibu didn't know these people--didn't know they didn't care for death, didn't know that they'd sooner have one of their own killed than give into demands and--where did Snake go?

He cursed his inattentiveness, quickly scanning the room, looking for any sign of the man who'd already murdered one of the father figures in his life.

Not good, not good. The men who came along for the hunt were now turning their attention away from what they were searching for in favor of this new, interesting prey. They were grinning at Nakamori-keibu, laughing at his bravado, and merely turning their own weapons toward _him_--not giving him any options. And all Nakamori-keibu could do was curse to himself, sweat covering his brow as he tried to think of a way out of the situation--didn't the man call for back up?

Wait. His eyes narrowed at a point behind and to the left of the inspector. That was...

He darted from his hiding place, shouting as he drew his card gun, "_Get down, keibu!_"

And then the shot was fired.

-

-

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

That was the annoying sound Ginzo woke to, screwing up his face and wincing at the pain lancing through his body as he tried to move to turn the blasted thing _off!_ It didn't take a genius to realize then that there was something wrong--that he was _injured_ and...hospital room? He pried his eyes open, peeking out through his eyelashes to see the clinical styled room he was in.

If he wasn't mistaken, he thought to himself slowly, thoughts still a bit muddled, this was the Intensive Care Unit...

"Dad!" He lolled his head to the side, seeing his daughter--beautiful girl she was, really, got it all from her mother--sitting in a chair beside his bed, tear trails on her face and fresh tears in her eyes. "You're finally awake," she said, voice choked up with worry and relief and--what had happened to him that made her look like that? "The doctors said they weren't sure...but--I'm so...happy that you're--"

Ginzo cleared his throat and hoarsely asked her with obvious confusion, "What happened?"

Aoko bit her lower lip and looked over her shoulder to where there were two police officers--not Megure-keibu's group again!--were standing guard at the curtain. "I-I don't really know..." she admitted after a moment, "but...something happened at the heist--"

"Heist?" he echoed, confused for a moment.

_"GET DOWN, KEIBU!"_

Ginzo would have bolted upright if the pain hadn't stopped him. He fell back to his bed, crying out while Aoko worriedly called to him, not realizing what was wrong. The police officers obviously heard the ruckus and came sprinting over, one of them suggesting to call in a doctor while the other was trying to calm him as well, "Nakamori-keibu--"

"K-Kid," he gritted out, halting all the fuss and their words of concern. "What...happened--?"

One police officer glanced to the other while Aoko drew her brow together in confusion.

Finally, the officer who seemed to be in charge--Shiratori, wasn't it?--told his comrade, "I'll make a phone call to Megure-keibu. You can...break the news to him."

The other man--Takagi-keiji, if he remembered correctly--looked uncomfortable with the task he was given but accepted the responsibility with a grim nod and a quiet, "Yes..."

Ginzo was running out of patience, despite the fact that he was still hurting from his jerking movements. "Well, _someone_ had better tell me something because _if something happened during that heist_--!"

Shiratori merely gave him a glance and turned away, pulling out a cell phone as he walked off. Takagi-keiji looked almost pleadingly at the other man's back before looking back to the seething inspector in the hospital bed, coughing nervously. "Yes, keibu," he said hesitantly, "I'll...report to you everything that we uncovered at the scene of the accident--"

"Accident!" shouted Ginzo in bafflement.

"Yes," the police detective said, shifting his weight as he was now also getting a curious, almost pleading look from Aoko. "There was a gas explosion at the villa--"

"_Gas explosion!_" exclaimed the inspector in disbelief. "There were men with _guns_ hunting down Kaitou Kid--and I _had them at gun point!_ How does a gas explosion fit into all of this--!"

"Keibu, sir," Takagi said plaintively, seeming to draw back in fear of the older man's flaring temper. "We're not quite sure how it happened--you were all in the boiler room, apparently, from what we can judge from the bodies--"

"BODIES?"

The young man's shoulders slumped a bit. "I'm not explaining this very well," he said mournfully.

Just before Ginzo could tear into him again, Aoko reassuringly patted the man's arm. "You're doing fine," she said with a strained smile, "Just talk over my dad and you'll get it all out."

Takagi sighed at this while Ginzo made a disgruntled noise, laying back against his pillows and wincing at the pain he'd been ignoring.

After taking a moment to collect themselves, the young man started again, "As I've said, judging from the bodies that we've found, whatever triggered the gas explosion occurred in that room. Something must have knocked one of the pipes loose and while gas was leaking into the air...something...maybe a bullet's richocet made a spark and--" Takagi paused for another moment, turning his eyes downward. "I'm sorry to say, keibu, that several of your men are also in critical condition."

Ginzo stared at him for a long moment before turning his eyes up to the ceiling. "Any of them die?" he asked quietly but pointedly. "Anyone we know end up dying?"

A long moment of silence stretched between them before there was a quiet, "Yes, keibu."

The inspector shut his eyes while he felt his right hand be taken into Aoko's. He squeezed her small fingers reassuringly, supportively before asking, "Who?"

Again, Takagi hesitated before answering just as quietly, "They found him in the woods behind the villa. Apparently...he was wounded but helped get several of your men out before they...and he tried to make it out but with the time of the year and how bad the weather's been and his injury...

"Nakamori-keibu," he said before dropping the bomb as delicately as he could, "Kaitou Kid...died from blood loss and hypothermia...the night of the explosion."

-

-

Just as he had commanded, the inspector dropped to the ground and the bullet missed him by nigh a centimeter. A close call, the thief thought grimly to himself as he aimed his own weapon, but there could still be closer calls still now that he revealed himself to the men.

He fired a card at Snake, managing to strike his hand and send his gun flying across the floor while the card continued its course, striking home into a small pipe. Curses rose up from the man in black, but he didn't wait to hear what they were as all the other men were now turning his way.

Of course, there was still the problem that Nakamori-keibu presented--they could use him a hostage and then what would he do? He couldn't very well let them get away with what they wanted since he really liked living so much and all...plus the fact that they'd probably end up killing the inspector anyway. And as if Nakamori-keibu needed to present this possibility to everyone else in the room, the old man shouted in traditional fashion, "K-Kaitou Kid!"

He didn't stop to chat, having to keep an eye on all the guns--all but one were trained on him though he was running through the room like a pinball would roll through a machine. So he focused in on that weapon and aimed his own--

Perfect shot yet again. The gun slid away from its owner who clutched his hand with shock and surprise. Nothing more than a scratch, really, but blood was dripping down from that hand, making the man nervous about what other damage could be inflicted with such a silly little toy.

His grin was becoming more of a smirk now, despite the fact that he had to pause again behind a pile of crates to wipe the sweat from his eyes. Even with how cold it was outside--a record temperature for the area, he'd heard from the news earlier in the evening--it was steaming hot in that boiler room. And he couldn't very well get out of this mess if he couldn't _see_ what he was doing.

The sound of a scuffle made him peer cautiously from around the corner of the stack. He could have sighed in exasperation if he wasn't so preoccupied with the anger, frustration, and just flat-out fear that was surging through him at the sight of Nakamori-keibu being held at gun point yet again while the other men had their weapons trained in whatever direction they had thought they'd seen him go.

And of course, nothing infuriated him more than seeing Snake as the one holding the gun. "All right!" the man shouted, his voice ringing throughout the room full of metal. "I'm finished with chasing you around! Come out right now, or the old man gets it right between the eyes!"

He closed his eyes for a moment to calm himself, forcing himself to remember Poker Face before he called back, "And what would be the point in that? You'd just kill him right after you kill me. Doesn't give me much to work with--not much incentive to follow along with what you say--"

The sound of the firearm being cocked, the bullet sliding into its camber, made his blood run cold. "We've told you to stay away from what's ours," Snake growled, his low voice still carrying out throughout the room. "We've warned you--hell, we've even had to kill you once before and you still put yourself and others in danger. We'll do this my way or I'll finish this here and now!"

His mind raced as he went quiet, trying to think of a way out of this situation. There wasn't an escape. He couldn't let Nakamori-keibu get killed but if he went out into the open, they were both dead anyway.

He wiped a hand across his eyes again before dragging it down over his nose and to his mouth as he furiously thought of what sort of action could be taken. The smirking grin he wore was still there, though it was ready to fall apart. His lips were trembling, his face was hurting--why did he have to do this? All for Pandora...all for getting those men who killed his father...right then he should have felt justified for his actions--look at the hostage situation! These men deserved what was coming to them! But then again...none of this would have happened if he hadn't--

...what was that smell?

His eyes shot open, wide with horror as he realized.

It wasn't just the inspector and his own life that was in danger. Everyone in the villa...if something went wrong--if one accident happened...

He shouted back at Snake, "I'd suggest just letting Nakamori-keibu go free and then heading for the hills and counting your blessings! If you don't--"

"Are you the one making threats now?" the man practically sneered, seeming amused that the thief that always had that damned rule of No One Gets Hurt was saying such things.

"Hardly," the aforementioned thief responded with a tone that could only be described as smug amusement which was masking the dread that was slowly creeping up his spine. One wrong move... "In fact, being the gentleman thief that I am, I thought I should give you a warning before something else happens. Take my advice: leave while you can!"

"Not without seeing you dead first," Snake snarled back.

There was the sound of a gun going off.

He closed his eyes and ducked his head, knowing the outcome.

The mistake had been made.

And all that surrounded him was flames.

-

-

Surprisingly, Ginzo wasn't the one who made the sound of disbelief. His daughter, he saw when he looked over to find the source of the noise, had pulled her hands away from his and was now covering her mouth, shaking her head in disbelief. "He couldn't have..." she whispered tearfully before lowering her hands and shouting at her father. "He wasn't supposed to die! You were supposed to catch him! He was supposed to--"

"Aoko," Ginzo said with some worry and shock before he found himself holding her as she cried against him.

"It's not fair!" she shouted into his hospital gown. "You've spent so long chasing after him--dedicating so much just to put him behind bars and he did that--!"

Ginzo numbly realized how right she was. It wasn't fair. After all of those years of chasing...to have things end this way--especially when the thief had always abhorred violence--

Takagi-keiji cleared his throat. "Um...Nakamori-keibu? I'm afraid there's still more..."

The inspected looked up at him, not able to bring himself to even object against the idea that there should be more to tell. Instead, he slowly nodded and pushed Aoko away from him while she brushed a hand furiously at her tears, seeming upset that she had cried over the thief she'd hated for so long. "Aoko..." he said quietly. "Why don't you go get me some water?"

She seemed to hesitate but ended up nodding, seeming to want to find an excuse not be able to hear any more news about what had happened that awful night.

As soon as she left, Ginzo leveled a sharp-eyed stare at the younger police officer. "Tell me," he commanded, wanting to know everything that had happened.

Takagi-keiji hesitated for a moment longer before continuing, "O-of course," he said softly.

-

-

How any of them had survived the blast was beyond his knowledge. Maybe someone was looking out for them. Maybe it was just pure dumb luck. But as soon as he was conscious again, he was moving, crawling through the debris on his elbows and knees, feeling quite charred around the edges despite the fact that he could move all right.

Then again...that could have been because of the adrenaline pumping through his system.

He had continued to crawl this way through the room, making it to a fallen man--obviously not going to survive, that one, what with third degree burns and the dent in his skull from a flying piece of metal--before he paused to catch him breath--

And fall into a series of watery coughs.

He tried to swallow them back, but the taste of hot copper in his mouth made him gag. Apparently, he wasn't as well off as he'd hoped...but he still had to make sure. All those people in the villa--the officers, the owners...hell, he was sure that the crowd outside would be fine--there were probably medics already racing down icy roads to make there way there. Still, he had to get them out--nothing was stable...the building hadn't collapsed yet but it could at any second.

So he pressed on.

Eventually, he managed to find Nakamori-keibu amongst the carnage. Alive, breathing, but obviously in real danger of not making it out. With only a small glance at Snake's dead body--poor bastard didn't stand a chance, really, being out in the open like he had been--he grabbed hold of the inspectors sleeve and pulled him over.

Somehow, he managed to stand himself up with Nakamori-keibu's arm around his neck. Somehow, he managed to make it out to the only place outside that wasn't swarming with a crowd--pure white snow sitting innocently on the ground as if to counter the fire that raged behind him. Somehow, he managed to lay the inspector down and then continue back into the villa--one by one grabbing the different men of the 1412 Taskforce who'd been inside and bringing them out next to their leader.

Surprisingly, quite a few of them were conscious, shouting for help, praying, crying in pain, in horror, or just sadness because they thought they wouldn't live to see their families, their friends. The looks on their faces when he'd shown up--top hat gone, monocle's glass cracked, and white suit torn and covered in ashy black--they were definitely something that made him keep that grin on his face.

He had to keep up that grin. Didn't want anyone to think anything was wrong, after all.

It was only when he couldn't find anymore that he'd kindly requested that someone hand over their radio--if they had one that still worked--and one officer who was sporting a crushed leg and bloodied head handed one over.

He took a deep breath before adjusting the frequency. "Tokyo Police Headquarters, this is Kaitou Kid--repeat, this is..." He trailed off to cough for a moment into his fist before continuing, "Kaitou Kid. Anyone over there on this lovely night?"

And of course, there came the favored, "K-Kaitou Kid!"

He didn't allow them to truly process the thought and merely continued, "Aa, and whatever you're sending here had better be fast because...quite a f-few of your officers are in bad condition--sorry about that." He gave a faint laugh as he looked over to the wounded 1412 Taskforce. The ones still awake were staring at him as if he were insane. He merely shrugged. "A-anyway...it's a bit cold out and--oh...better bring some...cuffs just in case...some bad people caused the fire and--well, maybe one of them lived..."

He trailed off again to put a hand to his head. Everything seemed to be getting sharper and brighter for some reason, and he couldn't seem to keep from swaying as he stood there in the snow. He swallowed thickly, tasting the blood that was making him want to vomit.

Thankfully, the person on the other end of the communication was sharp, barking orders before snapping back at him, "Do you know the status of the officers? The amount of casualties?"

"Aa..." he responded distantly, glancing again to the 1412 Taskforce lying in the snow. "All alive and s-stable...though Nakamori-keibu's...ah...not doing very well. He was in the m-middle of everything--" He cut himself off to cough again, this time not being able to mask the sound or the blood.

Sounds of surprise were raising up among the wounded while the officer on the radio shouted, "O-oi! Just wait a bit longer and we'll have the medics over there--!"

He chuckled, wiping the blood from his chin. "S-sorry, keibu," he said lightly, eyes looking back at the burning building which crumbled in on itself, "but...I don't think I'l be waiting for you..."

A long moment of silence followed that statement before the man's voice began to object, "K-Kaitou Kid--you--"

"Ja na, Megure-keibu!" he said in farewell before turning the radio off and handing it back to the officer he took it from. "Thanks for that, by the way...anyway...you all should be f-fine--"

He put a hand to the left side of his ribs as he coughed. The adrenaline was wearing off, and he could feel everything that was wrong with him. Every time he breathed, blood pooled into his lung. Every time he moved, his rib would dig in deeper. Every step he took would jerk his knee out of its proper placement.

And all of those officers that were still conscious...could _see_ the mask fall from his face.

They could all see and believe that despite appearances and despite rumors and performances--Kaitou Kid was human. And as any other human...was dying from injuries caused by an accident that never should have happened.

So he gave them one last grin. Just one more--bloody as it was--before staggering off toward the trees, away from the crowd, away from the men who had once chased him, away from the warmth of the fire...

Out toward more cold snow that glittered like gems in the moonlight.

-

-

"To be honest, keibu," the young man said, beginning his report, "we probably wouldn't have found him if those officers hadn't pointed the way. Even though they said he had been bleeding from the chest...and coughing up blood...there wasn't any sign of it in the snow. Megure-keibu ended up having to call in a search party because those woods were so big, he could have gone anywhere.

"...and even then...we still almost couldn't find him. He--his white clothes, you know." A sheepish, saddened smile crossed his face. "They blended in with the snow so well...and...well...snow fell during the night so...he was covered with it when they found him--"

"Takagi-keiji," Ginzo interrupted, voice hard and stern, though he was inwardly trying to keep himself composed. For his long-time phantom thief to be found in such a way...to _die_ in such a way...it was almost disgraceful. "There's something else you want to tell me, so just tell me."

The other man was quiet, pursing his lips for a moment before looking behind himself to see if there was anyone to interrupt. When he saw that no one was there, he pulled something from his pocket--a photo. "I-I know this will probably be hard on you, Nakamori-keibu," he said sincerely with some concern. "But...I was told that...we needed confirmation on the identity before...well...we contacted anyone."

The inspector stared at the photo whose back was still facing him as if it were a snake that would bite him.

"Sir," Takagi said before holding the photo out, it's picture facing the ceiling in a way that Ginzo still couldn't see it.

The older man swallowed the lump he felt in his throat, the dread that was somehow telling him that it wasn't something he wanted to see--but he _had_ to see. Had to know...if only to pay respects to the man he'd chased for so long.

So he carefully reached out with the hand he knew wasn't injured and took the picture. He only paused for a moment before turning the photo to face him.

He dropped it as if it were on fire, shutting his eyes against the image.

-

-

It was cold.

He actually kind of missed the fire that was probably still roaring back at the villa. He missed feeling that warmth that made him feel more energetic, more..._alive_ maybe. Now he was cold...wet...stumbling through the snow, taking the time to use the trees as a support whenever he needed to stop for air, to cough, to...rest. Yes, that's what he wanted to do. Stop and rest.

But he couldn't stop. There was still a chance he could survive, so he thought to himself with a cynical grin. After all, he could still see his hot breath rising in front of him as he breathed, he could still feel all the pains that were assailing his body, he could still hear the sound of the crowd back at the villa--now accompanied by sirens. Good, then. The 1412 Taskforce should be fine...even if he was still a bit worried for Nakamori-keibu.

He hadn't want to get any of them involved. All he had ever wanted was to bring justice to those who had done wrong. It was a backwards way of doing things, though, becoming a thief to draw them out. Maybe that's why it backfired the way it did. Then again...it might have just been fate. Maybe...like his father before him...he wasn't supposed to continue living a double life the way he had been.

...it was only too bad that he couldn't see her one last time. In all the times he'd thought about this happening to him, he'd always seen her there to witness it. He'd always seen her crying, angry, yelling at him, asking him why he became the person she'd hated. He'd always just...imagined it going over that way...that she'd find out his secret just as he was going to die. And yet...here he was...in the middle of no where, in the snow...alone.

It was better this way, he knew. At least this way...there could be a chance she would never have to know. There could be a chance...that she could be happy.

He fell against a tree's trunk, feet too numb to continue walking. The problem with white clothes--they didn't conserve any heat what-so-ever. In fact, the whole of him was numb now, he realized faintly. The pains...they weren't as acute as they were when he'd started walking--how long ago had that been?

He carefully sank to the tree's roots, sitting himself on the cold ground, still holding his left side protectively with his right hand. There wasn't any point in walking any farther. Either he'd be found in time and saved by the medics...or he would die there.

Strangely, either option was fine with him. His grin softening more into a smile, he shifted a bit to use his left hand to dig into one of his more deeper pockets in his jacket. After all, he thought to himself as he pulled out the gem that was that night's heist, there was a very likely chance that this one...was the one he'd been looking for the whole time.

Staring at the piece of opaque jade in his hand through the broken glass of his monocle, he wistfully wondered if maybe there was a chance Pandora would have pity on him and grant him another life. Most likely not, however...somehow, he got the feeling that he was paying the price everyone paid whenever they searched for that legendary jewel.

Still, he still wasn't entirely sure if it _was_, in fact, Pandora. The clouds were beginning to roll in and there wasn't much time left to the moon--

He held up the gem...and grinned all the more when nothing happened.

-

-

"Keibu?" was the curious but worried response.

Ginzo waved his hand. "Get it away. I've seen it," he gritted out while the detective did as asked, though with some flailing.

"I-I'm sorry, sir, but--" Takagi began to say, hoping to remind the man the purpose of viewing the grim photo, but Ginzo was quick to cut in, "Is Aoko still away? Is she anywhere near here?"

The younger man paused before walking to the curtain to check. He looked back to the injured man with a shake of the head. "She's still gone..."

"Who else has seen that picture?"

Takagi hesitated, obviously not understanding what that had to do with anything. "Not very many people, really...the coroner, of course...Megure-keibu, Shiratori-san, Satou-san...and the people who found him saw his face--"

The inspector sighed, opening his eyes again to stare across the room at the opposite wall. It really wasn't fair. The one he'd chased for so long...it had been two separate people the whole time...as he'd suspected whenever he'd have the mind to, but still...those particular two... "Takagi-keiji," he stated with a firm tone which had the other man standing straighter, "tell Megure-keibu to close all case files on Kaitou Kid. He won't be coming back."

The other man hesitated. "...uh, sir?"

"You heard me," Ginzo growled out, looking up to glare at the other man. "Case is closed." He jabbed a finger angrily at the picture Takagi still held. "That boy there--in that picture--he was the second Kaitou Kid. The first one died...eight years ago."

"T-two Kaitou Kids?" Takagi asked with some fair amount of surprise.

"And don't worry about contacting relatives and such. He's only got one left," he continued, ignoring the question, "and I'd prefer if I were able to tell her."

"Ah, yes..." There was a small pause before Takagi said, "But Nakamori-keibu, I'll need the names of the two Kaitou Kids for records--"

"Tell Interpol, tell the FBI, tell the fucking world," Ginzo said grimly without any humor in his voice, "that Kaitou Kid was a father-son deal. The father was killed and the son took up his wing. And the only name _you'll_ need to know is the one name they shared. The Kuroba Kaitou are done. There won't be anymore heists."

-

-

Aoko rubbed at her nose, cursing herself for crying like that. But it couldn't have been helped...it just...was so shocking to hear that after so long, after so much time hating him and sometimes wishing he _were_ dead so that her father could just come _home_...Kaitou Kid had done exactly as she had wished...and died. Died alone and like the thief he was.

...it somehow made her sick to realize that it hadn't been what she'd wanted at all.

She had wanted him out of the way--out of her father's line of sight...so that she could have her father back. She wanted to be able to have her best friend to herself and not have to fight Kaitou Kid for his attention whenever a heist came along. She just wanted...there to have never been a Kaitou Kid in the first place.

She gave a shaky sigh, shaking her head as she looked at the pitcher she held and the seat she was near outside of the ICU. She...didn't want to go back in there to see her father so crushed at the news of what had happened to the one person he'd never been able to catch. She just wanted to sit down...and talk to somebody.

Maybe she should tell Kaito about what happened to Kid...it would probably be best if he heard it from someone he knew rather than the newspapers in the morning, right?

Aoko sighed again and set the pitcher down on the floor beside the chair before sitting herself, taking her phone from her purse. She quickly found his name on her list of numbers and hit the call button, bringing the phone to her ear as she sniffled once more.

Surprisingly, Kaito was being slow on answering. Funny...he usually had it answered within the first couple of rings--

_Click._

"Hello? Who's calling?"

Aoko boggled at the sound of a voice she recognized but _wasn't_ Kaito's. "Um...yes...I was calling for my friend but I seem to have dialed the wrong number," she said apologetically with a small laugh. How dumb of her...she knew she should have taken all police numbers off of her phone. But then again, she had been _sure_... "Sorry for the trouble--"

"No, wait," the man on the other end said with a grim manner that made Aoko's breath catch in her throat. Something wasn't right. "Your friend...Kuroba Kaito, right?"

"Um...yes, sir," she answered carefully before blurting out, "Is Kaito all right? Why are you answering his phone, Megure-keibu?" What was he doing in this district in the first place?

There was a long pause from the other end of the line, and Aoko clutched her phone as she held her breath. That feeling she'd been having...even before Takagi-keiji had told her of Kaitou Kid's death...

The inspector of the first district sighed before saying, "This is Nakamori Aoko-chan, right?"

"Y-yes, sir," she responded, voice weak and shaking with the fear and worry she was feeling. Why was Megure-keibu there? Why was he on Kaito's phone? Where was Kaito? Why didn't Kaito answer? Did he lose his phone? No...Kaito never lost anything, so why...?

"...Aoko-chan," Megure began carefully, voice softened by something akin to sympathy, "I'm afraid I have some bad news..."

-

-

It was starting to snow. He knew it was...and yet, he felt numb to its touch as each individual snow flake fell onto him before melting away. It wasn't cold anymore, really. Just a bit wet and...well, _beautiful_ really.

He'd never really taken the time to appreciate the snow until right that moment. Too bad he never had because as he gazed up at the sky--covered as it was with clouds even though the moon struggled to peek out from behind their shelter--he could have sworn that he'd never seen anything more serene.

Funny thing when you were dying, he thought to himself as he leaned against the tree more, your mind tends to run around in so many directions. No flashbacks for him. A lot of should've-could've-would'ves, though. Should've told Aoko something like he'd always wanted but never let himself carry out for fear of being found out and having her targeted. Could've stayed behind with the 1412 Taskforce and maybe have stood a chance of survival, even if it meant being thrown in jail--hopefully not literally.

...would've been able to see if this jade he now cradled in his left hand was actually Pandora if the clouds had waited just one more second.

But there was no helping any of that. Regrets...memories...plans...none of them mattered anymore. So he just continued to sit there, gazing up at the sky, hoping that the snow would end soon so he could finally see if it was Pandora, hoping that the snow would never end so that he could just watch it continue to quietly fall...

After a time...he wasn't even cold anymore. No...instead...some odd sense of comfort, warmth...something was filling him and--oh, did his body feel so broken and weary...his eyes burned with drowsiness and his head felt so heavy...

It probably registered in the back of his mind what was happening. He'd heard stories...about people in the arctic succumbing to this sort of thing. Still...how could anyone resist? Warmth meant safety...and life. It was a crafty way Death got a hold of people, he thought muzzily.

Eventually...he couldn't keep his eyes open, but he listened to his strained breathing to keep himself awake. In and out...in and out...

Even when he was so tired, almost asleep except for that part of him that stubbornly would not lie down and just take death as it came, he continued to smile. Not that grin she hated so much, thankfully. But an ironic smile. One that he'd worn more than once in his life ever since he started up his career as the infamous Kaitou Kid.

One that made him appear...and feel...a bit more like Kuroba Kaito.

In and out.

In and out.

In...

-

-

-

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ I actually want to share right here why I put Aoko discovering what happened the way she did. Basically, it's in tribute to those people who are going through all of that crap over in Lebanon. And in memory of a poor woman who found out her husband was dead in a similar fashion...except that the cell phone was still on her husband's dead body not a few meters from a bomb shelter. 

Horrible way to find out someone dear to you has died.

But anyway on a more non-somber note...yay! I killed Kaito again! Lessee...5 deathfics down...35 to go! Wh00t! We're making good time here!

Also: THIS FIC IS DEDICATED TO MY GOOD CHICKA FRIEND CANDYLAND-CHAN! BOOYAH!


	6. Vampire: The Pleasure of Risk

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** The Pleasure of Risk  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #33 alternate - Father  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Koizumi Akako, Nakamori Aoko  
**Rating:** R  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death; also...heh...vampires  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary: **Control was a thing of the past.

* * *

Ah, now that was something he sure missed being able to hear and see. The sight and sound of a roaring crowd awaiting his arrival while cops scurried along the ground and a certain detective dressed in tweed was patiently standing to the side, glancing at his watch. It was really a normalcy that he'd missed--even if one probably wouldn't consider being the international criminal Kaitou No. 1412, more commonly just called Kaitou Kid, _normal_. 

Only one small problem.

Kuroba Kaito was _not_ holding a heist that night.

...in the words of Hakuba's native tongue: _Bugger to that._

Instead of being the one that was in the spotlight, as he was supposed to have been--dressed all in white and arriving on schedule--even if Hakuba always said he was a few minutes later--and stealing the show _and_ the gem that was being targeted, Kaito was standing outside of the throng with his long-time friend Nakamori Aoko.

He mentally sighed at the whole mess, his headache a dull buzz in the back of his mind ever since he had learned to properly ignore it. Really...why did everyone always think they had to try and copy-cat Kid's work just to bring fame and fortune to an artifact that was probably a fake anyway? It was something he never fully grasped, but then again, _he_ had been a copy-cat himself.

...but that was a totally and completely different story.

Besides, his father wasn't exactly around to tell him not to copy him.

...and that was part of the reason he actually came out to the heist that night. It had been at least a week since that strange event happened on the roof of a building after a Kid heist, and he still wasn't sure if he was ready to face the spotlight with his hunger being what it was.

And that was just simply insatiable.

A truly bothersome thing, especially since Kaito had never wanted the gift that the hunger stemmed from--if it could be _called_ a gift.

Immortality--vampirism...it just wasn't his cup of tea.

But he'd managed to work through his problems since that night. He had a steady source of the blood that he craved from Koizumi--though he always firmly kept those memories buried _deep_ down in the back of his mind. Nothing as...embarrassing or shameful had happened since that one time on the top of the school roof, but still...there had been some...interesting moments.

In addition to the willingness to be his food supply--something that disturbed Kaito to _no_ end--Koizumi had also been a big help with information on what he was and what could be done to find the one who had done this to him.

But even if she was a big help, Kaito thought awkwardly with a bit of a laugh, she _still_ bewildered him, scared him, and...hell, she was just plain _cruel_ during moments he had absolutely _no_ control of his actions.

That witch seemed to enjoy taking advantage of his moments of weakness.

...though he was sure there was still more to it.

He still hadn't found out her reasons or the reason why she would look so sad at odd moments.

But life went on. He still had to juggle his life at school and at home--and soon, he'd be confident enough to get back to his night job as the infamous Kaitou Kid.

Of course, for tonight, he was merely a spectator, listening to Aoko as she cheered for her father to catch the legendary thief--which he wouldn't if this copy cat _wasn't_ in fact a copy cat, but who knows? Maybe Nakamori-keibu could get lucky and just catch someone who was doing something illegal for the pure fact that he wanted to use Kid's name as a way to roll in the money.

But if that wasn't the case...

It was an outrageous idea, really, and more than a little pathetic on his part. Sometimes he thought it was just in his head--there was no _way_ for everything to have been hinged on that one event. But there was always that nagging side of him that pushed the issue. What if, what if...

So, when Kaito had heard that there was to be a Kaitou Kid heist--one that he hadn't planned--he jumped at the chance to be able to see it, to be able to see if maybe someone who should have been dead would jump in while he was unable to play the role. It was a hope and a fear that had kept Kaito from bickering with Aoko the whole time they walked over to the local sight of the heist.

What if, what if...

"Lovely night, isn't it?"

Kaito stiffened at the sound of that voice.

He did _not_ want to deal with Koizumi right then.

But Aoko had to smile that smile and turn to their classmate and resident witch to respond, "Akako-chan! You came to see heist, too?"

The other girl smiled, shooting a sly look over to Kaito, who pointedly ignored it, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning his back to her--it didn't do much to help the fact that she was _there_ and all of his senses were _aware_ that she was there, but it made him feel a bit better, not having to look at her and have his hunger wake up from one of its more quiet moments. "Who wouldn't turn out for this kind of show?" Koizumi answered before stepping forward to take Aoko by the arm. "Ne, Nakamori-chan, why don't we try to get a closer look?"

Kaito jerked his head to stare at the witch and to see Aoko smiling in that perfectly innocent way that made Kaito wonder if she knew what she would be getting herself into if she started to deal with the other girl. Thankfully, his childhood friend rejected the offer, "Sorry, Akako-chan, but I did promise my dad that I wouldn't get caught up in things--you know how dangerous these heists have been getting."

Not like it was _his_ fault that people were trying to kill him, Kaito thought sullenly to himself, though he just continued to look around at the crowd and lights and--oooh, someone made a nice "MARRY ME!" sign. Huh...

Then Aoko had to add the typical, impatiently toned, "Plus, I have to keep an eye on _this_ idiot. He keeps running off at these sorts of things and Hakuba-kun's been accusing him of being Kid again."

The teenaged boy spun to her, objecting plaintively, "It's not my fault you're too slow to catch up! And anyway, Hakuba's always accusing me for something, so I don't see why--"

The teenaged girl turned to him with half-mast eyes. "I-di-ot," she said slowly, drawling out the word in a way that made him make a face at her. "_You_ might not care about people calling you Kid, but you're _not_ Kid and that's the point! You shouldn't let Hakuba-kun say those kinds of things about you, and--_Kaito, put those cards away!_"

Kaito sighed but did as he was told with a small grin, stuffing the deck of cards back into his pocket and shrugging shamelessly when Koizumi glanced at him again.

"So you're here just to watch?" the witch asked, obviously directing the question to the magician for a reason that couldn't be spoken in front of Aoko.

But Aoko had never really cared if Kaito was a part of the conversation. "And cheer on my dad," she answered before driving an elbow into Kaito's stomach, making his eyes practically bug out with the pain. "Isn't that _right_, Kaito?"

The teenaged boy gave her a dark look as he held his injury before pouting but didn't argue against her words. After all, the blow that she'd given him had shaken his firm hold on that side of him that was considerably vampiric in nature, and he had to mentally scramble to repair the damage that was done before the hunger would wake to the point that he'd feel that stabbing pain.

...not that he could blame Aoko for carelessly doing such a thing. After all, he still hadn't really told her the truth about his recent out-of-sorts behavior.

It was better for her just remain ignorant.

It was safer.

Koizumi did that laugh of hers behind a hand, feigning an attempt to not seem rude but not being able to help the amusement that came from Kaito's obvious plight. "I'm sure your father would appreciate the support, Nakamori-chan," she said when she recovered, smiling warmly and in a more sisterly manner to Aoko while Kaito continued to give the witch a decidedly suspicious and distrusting look. "But I don't think he'll be catching our Kaitou Kid tonight."

And that had Kaito inwardly sighing in some relief. If Koizumi said that Kaitou Kid wasn't going to be caught then there was most likely nothing to suggest that it wasn't who he was hoping it would be.

...but really, it could also have been a pathetic attempt to put things right in his mind. All in his head.

But Kaito couldn't quite seem to get that fact to stick in his head.

So he did what he would have done at any other time of the day when he was his normal, civilian self. He tossed his arms up and let his elbows bend so that he could put his hands to the back of his head, fingers interlocking to keep them there. "Man..." he said in a bored manner, eye lids drooping to give better effect. "If this turns out to be another copy-cat, that's just going to suck for all those fangirls waiting for their masked hero--"

"_Anti_-hero," Aoko corrected with a huff as she crossed her arms over her chest as she eyed him with distaste. "And I don't see why you're so bored. You should be happy that you'll get to see your _hero_--whether or not it's the real one or not. They're _all_ criminals, so they're all the _same_--"

"You have _no_ imagination," Kaito said as he looked away from her to study the actions of the 1412 Taskforce, not wanting to dwell on the stab of her words. "I mean, shouldn't you be like other little girls and sigh and do those things girls do when they're waiting for their Prince Charming--"

_Thwack._

Aoko swung her purse back onto her shoulder while her best friend recovered from the blow. "I'm _not_ a little girl," she growled out while Kaito bit the inside of his cheek and grinned. Even if all her violent acts would shake his hold on his control, he'd always take it with a grin. It was normal, after all. And normalcy was pretty much the only thing that was keeping him sane throughout this entire ordeal.

"You sure?" he countered, reaching out a hand to poke at her hip, making her face go red. "I dunno...they're still pretty small--and your chest--" Here he merely waved his hand at said body part, knowing it would be going a _bit_ too far if he poked _there_. "--it's still so flat--"

The inspector's daughter lurched forward, fist raised in a manner that suggested she was wielding an invisible mop while Kaito backed away, snickering. Koizumi stepped forward to put a hand on Aoko's shoulder just before things got violent and there was another chase for the evening. "Now, now, Nakamori-chan," the witch said soothingly before aiming a smirk over to the teenaged boy. "You can't really blame Kuroba-kun for saying those sorts of things when he's never really seen a _real_ woman."

Kaito spluttered while Aoko looked up to Koizumi with a wicked grin of her own. "You know, Akako-chan? You're right," she said with a firm nod.

"Now, wait a minute!" Kaito objected firmly. "I think I know what a woman looks like--"

"Oh?" Koizumi asked curiously, leering at him. "So you've gotten _that far_, Kuroba Kaito?"

That was when he froze, his face heating up with the implications and reminder of those times he wasn't really in control. Nothing bad had happened...not since the school roof--but still... "I-idiot," he muttered, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking back toward the heist, "where do you get off asking questions like that? And you're going to miss the heist if you're going to keep having such perverted thoughts--"

"Who's the pervert who was saying I had no hips or breasts?" Aoko shot back heatedly.

Kaito blinked at her in an innocent manner. "Did someone say that?" he asked cluelessly before flinging his arms into the air, a large grin on his face. "Does Aoko need a hug from her bestest best friend to make her feel better?"

The teenaged girl stared at him, not amused.

"No?" he asked, lowering his arms, one hand going to his chin as he looked up to the dark sky in thought. "Huh...you would think that would work after all those different times--_ow!_ What was that for!"

"You're being an idiot, that's why!" Aoko shouted back, stamping a foot on the ground while Kaito rubbed his sore shin with a small pout. "And anyway, like you said, we're going to miss the heist if you keep being so stupid. Now behave or I'll call home to your mother--"

"Bwuh?" he demanded as clearly as he could as he lowered his leg back to the ground. It still hurt, but the pain was already fading away. "Why do that? That's mean, Aoko!"

She glared at him. "Behave," she commanded.

Kaito made a face at her and turned back to the heist, somewhat relieved to be able to follow that order. The heist was about to start, and he had to see--had to _know_. Of course, he had to play his role as the mischievous one, but somehow it was getting harder and harder to keep his focus on that act--especially when he had so many things running around in his head. The whole "what if" situation, keeping down the hunger, focusing past the headaches, trying not to listen in on Aoko's heartbeat--no matter _how_ calming that was--it was a full-time job, really. He was surprised he had enough energy to keep up being Aoko's favorite idiot.

Then again...no he wasn't.

Ah, Poker Face...the double-edged sword. It would continue to save him from those kinds of mistakes--hopefully.

And it was starting. He could tell it was. The police were on the move, Hakuba was no where to be seen, and--a flash of white against the evening sky. The crowd was cheering louder and louder while Aoko strained her voice to vocalize her cheers to her father who most likely couldn't even hear anything except for his own curses toward a particular phantom thief.

Kaito was just watching it all, somewhat awed by how big everything seemed from this vantage point. When he was the one running the rooftops, it always seemed to him that the crowd, the lights, the police--they were small and insignificant because he wouldn't be caught, because he knew what he was doing and how to get out. Huh...no wonder some people like Aoko didn't like Kid. Thinking that way was probably pretty egotistical of him.

But hey, you can't help but to think of people as ants when you're sometimes standing fifteen stories above their heads.

He continued to watch the chase, however. Not much could be seen from where they were near the back, but Kaito could definitely tell that whoever this Kaitou Kid was--they were pretty good, able to evade the police long enough to have Nakamori-keibu call in backup and then curse loudly on a megaphone. And he really shouldn't get his hopes up, but it was getting harder and harder not to with every passing second.

What would he do if it wasn't who he thought it was?

Then again...what would he do if it _was_ who he thought it was?

It was the latter thought that kept him focused on watching the entire scene of the heist, almost more alert than when he was the one in the white suit.

A hand on his shoulder made him start and turn to see Koizumi at his shoulder. She was looking toward the building as well, expressionless. "Don't worry," she said quietly, just barely heard over the shouts of the crowd, "_Our_ Kaitou Kid won't get caught this night."

Kaito stared at her for a long moment before looking back to the scene before the crowd--which suddenly went quiet as a gunshot rang in the air.

Almost without a pause, there was something latched onto Kaito's free arm. Aoko apparently hated that sound about as much as he did. Except it froze him where he was while his mind raced.

Those people...were firing at the Kaitou Kid in that building. They wouldn't just shoot at someone they knew was an imposter. They would only shoot if they really and truly thought that the person who was that Kid during that heist was a threat to what they sought. Which meant...

Kaito started to move forward, wanting to get a better look, but Aoko held him back by pulling on his arm and shouting, "Kaito! What are you doing! It's dangerous! Leave it to the police, you idiot!"

He looked back at her, biting the inside of his cheek as he furiously tried to think of something that would convince her to let him go. He _had_ to check this out. If that Kaitou Kid was who he thought it was, he _had_ to make sure those people wouldn't kill him--_again_. But how to convince Aoko of that? She was worried, she was scared...she didn't want to be left alone but it was too dangerous to bring her along and she had a very good grip on his arm...

He looked over to Koizumi, who had stayed where she had been. She stared back at him with a level stare.

And they had an agreement.

"Sorry, Aoko!" he said with that grin that he usually wore in apology just as Koizumi grabbed hold of Aoko from behind, feigning worry for her friend. With a quick twist and pull, his arm was free and he was taking off, waving back at the two girls. "I promise I'll be okay! I just have to check this out! You stay back here with Koizumi!"

"KAITO!" was the only shout she was able to get out. No doubt she was confused, bewildered, angry, scared...all those things--so much that she couldn't hurl insults at him.

So he ran on, ducking through the crowd, mostly avoiding bumping into people. About three more gunshots rang out into the night air before he was able to get to an alleyway, which he darted into, knowing the back alleys about as well as he knew the back of his hand--trick of the trade and all that. From there he could make it over to that building--_inside_ it...and then it was only a matter of time before he found that Kaitou Kid.

But first...he needed a disguise. Which was why he then quickly changed into a pretty generic police uniform he kept stashed away in the alleyway--just in case, he'd always told himself. Could never hurt to be too careful, really.

Once that was done, he was off toward the heist.

Ignoring the pangs of hunger that was creeping into his consciousness as he went along, adrenaline pumping through his system.

It didn't take long at all. Everything was in chaos. Some police officers had been wounded while others were rushing about here and there, barking orders or following them. Pure and utter chaos with no phantom thief to be seen. Those bastards were really causing a mess of things. At least when _he_ caused chaos, no one was left bleeding in the end--

_CRASH!_

Screams rang out as glass fell from an upper-story window. Not a gun shot, but something that was a bit more familiar to Kaito, who quickly rushed forward only to be stopped by an officer, who shoved him in a different direction, shouting, "Nakamori-keibu needs everyone over to the supposed escape route!"

He shouted back, playing his role as well as he could, "Wouldn't Kid just take a different route out of there because of all this?"

The man shook his head quickly before turning and ordering some other people around. That was when Kaito slunk off, entering the building and racing toward the stairs.

As soon as he opened the door to the stairwell, he knew he'd made a mistake somewhere. Something was off--just like that night of that heist when that person turned his world upside-down--_again_. But this time, he felt the difference, knew that something was off but couldn't find the source. So he kept going, taking the stairs two at a time, bolting his way past the police that were being careful about people with guns and up three flights of stairs before he burst out of the stairwell and toward an elevator.

Silly, really...the way they never seem to shut down those elevators.

He hit the up button and impatiently waited for the elevator to arrive...from the first floor.

He inwardly sighed. Great, he would have to wait to do that after he got away from those police officers--

_Ding._

The elevator arrived and opened its door--

And Kaito ducked as fast as he could. "W-what the hell!" he managed to get out from his crouched position only to freeze when he saw a red-face, heavy-breathing, _very_ angry Aoko glaring down at him--a broom in her hand rather than her usual mop. "A-Aoko! _What are you doing up here--?_"

"I could ask you the same thing!" she shrieked back, waving the broom at him while the elevator doors began to close again.

Kaito slapped his hand in the way, making them retract again, sweating nervously as the situation hit him full-force. "Aoko, you shouldn't be up here--I told you to stay with Koizumi--"

"And Akako-chan told me that _you're_ the idiot that's going to get himself killed if I didn't follow you!" Aoko shouted back, swinging the broom again. He dodged to the side, taking his hand away from the elevator for a moment.

When the doors started to close again, he jumped back to his previous position and they retracted yet again. "Aoko, _this is serious_," he told her with as much of a serious tone as he could manage--which wasn't a very easy task, not when he was finding how ridiculous this situation was, not when he was really, _really_ worried for her safety--damn it, he had thought he and the witch had _come to an agreement about this!_ "Go back downstairs and--"

This time Kaito wasn't dodging the broom--but bullets ricocheting off of the walls.

"Kai--!" was all Aoko managed to get out as he shoved her into the elevator, jumping in with her and hitting the "door close" button over and over until those damn doors decided to finally move when he wanted them to.

The _ping-ping_ sound of the bullets hitting metal made him cringe but he quickly hit a button, not thinking to look--just knowing they had to get _off_ that particular floor.

And they were moving.

...and the damn elevator music was playing.

...and Aoko was glaring at him, clutching her broom tightly until her knuckles were white just before she gritted out, "_Why are you dressed like that?_"

Kaito blinked at her for a moment, not really knowing what to tell her.

_Oh, yes...I'm actually a Kaitou Kid--only I'm not the one that's being chased and shot at right now--except for the part that I _was _shot at and I _was _chased by you, so I'm dressed like this so I can actually get in here and talk with the Kaitou Kid who's actually in uniform tonight just to see if it's a person who died over 8 years again--silly thing, really. I'm also a vampire and I'm guessing that he is too and--eeeh, don't give me that look!_

...yeah. That wouldn't go over very well at all.

So he just stared at her for a long moment before looking back at the doors. "So I could get in easier," he said simply.

Ooooh, she didn't like that answer either. Well, you win some...you lose some--

"_Why_ are you rushing into a place that could very well get you _killed_, Kaito!" she shouted loudly, voice ringing against all six surfaces surrounding them. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Is this some sort of cry for help?"

"Cry for help?" Kaito asked dubiously, looking to her with a raised eyebrow. Did he really seem the type?

Aoko stamped her foot and waved her broom at him. "If you think I'm just going to let you--"

_Ding._

The elevator stopped and the door opened, revealing the tenth floor as nothing more than shambles.

Kaito gave a long whistle.

Aoko glared at him again, which he shrugged off as he cautiously stuck his head out into the hallway, looking around, hand against the doors so they wouldn't close on him. When he was sure no one was coming and all was quiet, he looked back to her and nodded his head.

Ladies first.

She didn't budge, gripping her broom all the more.

He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, pulling her out of the elevator--a deathtrap it would be if they remained in there. Those people would have no qualms about destroying _that_ access just to keep Kaitou Kid in one place.

She protested silently but was eventually coaxed into following him quietly down the hall. It was best to not start up the argument right now since they were now in enemy territory and there was a _very_ likely chance they both of them could get _killed_, which was why Kaito _had_ to find a way out for Aoko. He could look for that Kaitou Kid at the same time as looking for a plausible exit, but he wouldn't dare go head to head with _those_ people...

Not if she was in danger, too.

...it was moments like this that made Kaito realize just how much he didn't want Aoko to ever find out about him being Kaitou Kid. If she were to do things like this whenever she thought he was in danger--it was bound to give him a heart attack one of these days.

...not that he could actually _feel_ his heart really, as soft as it was.

But Aoko's...was beating fiercely, never seeming to get tired, always fast as her fear and anger surged through her body--

He bit his lower lip, pushing down the hunger that had been building that whole time, knowing that if they didn't hurry soon, something _bad_ was going to happen.

He wouldn't _let_ it happen.

Of course, Fate...Destiny...Luck--whatever anyone wanted to call it was not in Kaito's favor that night because as soon as they turned a corner, they froze--Aoko clinging to Kaito as they stared in almost horror at what they saw before them.

Several men...those men that chased him had their guns aimed at them--only because they'd turned the corner and ended up being between those people...and their prey.

Aoko stared down the hall in the other direction where the figure in white stood calmly, readily. "K-Kaitou Kid..." she whispered before looking up to Kaito, who spared her a quick glance before turning to keep an eye on those guns. "K-Kaito...you're not--?"

He let his lower lip go in favor of gritting his teeth as he tried to think a way out of this situation--which there was only one way. He gripped Aoko's hand tightly in his before bolting, pulling her along and shouting back at the thief that remained, "DISTRACT THEM!"

And bullets were flying.

It wasn't fair, really. All he'd wanted to do was get _himself_ in danger while trying to talk to that stupid (and yes, he would admit to himself that he was being pretty stupid about this himself--but that guy started it first!) person who he _knew_ was that same person who should have been dead. But nooo, Aoko had tagged along and now they were _both_ running for their lives, dodging bullets, ducking corners, out-running those few men that gave chase to them.

...for some reason the thought about how predators chasing after prey that ran was stuck in Kaito's mind.

Aoko was in a panic while he himself was trying _not_ to panic. To panic meant a loss of control. Loss of control meant that he would mess up--mess up so incredibly bad that...it would be beyond repair. So no panicking for him--panic later when there was time...and space...and when his hunger wasn't threatening to usurp his thought process.

His hand tightened its hold on Aoko's and they quickly rounded another corner--where Kaito then pulled Aoko to a stop and pushed her along into a room that was almost hidden away in a sort of nook. He closed the door just before those men rounded the corner, leaning against the wood heavily before whispering sharply to his childhood friend, "_Hide_."

And she quickly did, pulling her hand from his and ducking down in the dark where he couldn't see her anymore.

Kaito closed his eyes and caught his breath as he listened to those people continue on down the hall. Close. Too close. Good thing there were idiots in that group too and that he and Aoko had gotten _them_ and not the smart ones.

He slowly sat himself on the ground, finally allowing himself to relax enough to collect himself--

And feel the severe pangs of hunger he'd been ignoring.

He brought his fist to his mouth, allowing himself the distraction of biting the back of his hand and keeping it firmly in his jaws. He couldn't let it get control of him...not when Aoko was there...not when she was the _only_ person there. But when that hunger was awake, there was no stopping it, and Kaito struggled to keep himself quiet, so that Aoko wouldn't hear, so that she wouldn't worry--

He could smell the blood coming from the wound he'd made.

It was like a kick in the gut.

He bit down harder, trying to shove the hunger back.

It wasn't working.

This night...had to have been a mistake the whole time. He shouldn't have come to the heist at all...he would have been fine, Aoko wouldn't be in danger--

He must have made a sound because he then heard her voice whispering from somewhere in the dark, "Kaito? Are you okay? Did you get shot?"

Kaito managed to wrench his hand away and answer back, leaning his head against the door and looking up at the ceiling. It was _hurting_, ignoring that hunger, but he couldn't let it get control of him there. "I'm fine," he managed to get out in a fairly stable voice. "J-just stay where you are..."

There was a shifting noise, and Kaito could feel his muscles tightening as he mentally tried to restrain himself. "Are you sure? Kaito...you didn't answer me--are you hurt?"

That worried tone...made him hate himself all the more for what he was, for what that part of him was thinking to itself. Thinking how she'd been the one that had gotten away that time because the witch had come, but now the witch had practically _given_ him this prize--and Aoko wasn't going to be safe if she was going to get worried about him.

"No," he whispered back only because he wasn't really able to speak any louder because the pain was stealing that precious air from his lungs, "I wasn't shot. Just...stay where you _are_--"

"Kaito, stop it," she snapped at him, a tremble underneath that typical scolding tone of hers and--why was her voice closer? "Trying to scare me when we're in this sort of situation--"

Dread and horror was creeping up Kaito's spine while pain hit his gut, leaving him unable to warn her of the danger of coming near him. Stupid Aoko--always so caring and so worried...she was going to get herself killed if she kept coming toward him--

But of course, part of him was just waiting for the pounce, silently asking her to come closer.

He bit the inside of his cheek and screwed his eyes shut as he brought his knees up and buried his face into his thighs, holding onto his middle with his right hand, which clenched at his shirt while his left hand wrapped around his legs and gripped at his pants. It was that sort of position that he kept trying to pull himself into the past times the hunger had hit him this badly. But this time, he had to out-last the hunger--_had_ to. Even if Koizumi had said it wasn't possible, that he would die--

His breathing was becoming erratic--not good, not good. That would just make her worry more and he could hear her slowly making her way toward him, could smell her scent and god, would she just get over here already so he could just--_no_. He couldn't hurt Aoko...even if it meant--

The knife of pain in his gut twisted, leaving him breathless and causing a sound to escape him--a muted yelp in a way.

"Kaito?" he heard her call, concern and worry now becoming frantic fear. "Just--just hold on and I'll be right there--"

Don't come. Don't come, he kept thinking to himself desperately.

Why was this happening? His worst nightmare--or at least _one_ of them--coming true...

Just like the first time he'd fed from Koizumi, he could feel tears pricking at his eyes but refusing to fall. He didn't want to hurt Aoko--he'd _never_ wanted to hurt her, but the pain was so horrible...several times worse than those last few times he'd felt it. Could he really continue to live in torment with this pain until he finally just _died_ from it?

Control was a thing of the past.

It was lost as soon as he felt her hand touch his shoulder.

_Th-thump._

"Kaito?" she asked cautiously, obviously afraid that she would hurt him if she touched the wrong area. What she couldn't have known was that her mere _touch_ was enough to rip everything away--all of his defenses...shattered. Just by that one touch.

_Th-thump._

He lifted his head to look to her--face not all that hard to see in the dark. Then without giving her any warning, he grabbed hold on her wrist and pulled her toward him, catching her around the waist and settling her comfortably on his lap.

_Th-thump._

She made a noise of confused surprise before trying to speak, "K-Kaito--"

_Th-thump._

"Shhh," he replied, cutting her off as he held her close. "We can't know if those men are still around..." It was just something to say to keep her from being too loud, from making any unnecessary sounds as he lay his head on her shoulder, taking in her scent, the sound of her beating heart.

_Th-thump._

And she was quiet, knowing what a dangerous situation they were in, knowing that these people who they'd just managed to escape from could actually kill them. But even when she was quiet, she didn't exactly remain still, twisting her arms between them and attempting to push him away, to give her room to study him, see if he was all right. She was worried, after all. That was why she had come to him.

_Th-thump._

But he didn't budge, holding tight to her, not wanting to break away even as she desperately whispered in his ear, "K-Kaito, you're scaring me--what's wrong with you--"

_Th-thump._

"It hurts," he broke in, pressing his face more against her shoulder and neck. He was shaking everywhere, not able to control the hunger as he was able to do with Koizumi. He couldn't hold it back to take his time as he wanted--the hunger wanted her blood--had always wanted it since it first laid eyes on her flushed face that day he'd gotten hit with the mop.

_Th-thump._

"It's _hurts_," he said again, voice quiet still, breathy and shaking, unsteady as he tried to hold the hunger back just for a little longer. He didn't want this to be like it was for him that night so long ago. "And if I don't--if I...Aoko, I'll die..."

_Th-thump._

She froze in his arms, seeming to come to a horrible understanding--not a correct one, most likely, but still horrorfying. "Y-you're hurt?" she asked quietly before bursting out in a loud whisper, "Why didn't you admit it to me sooner! We have to get out of here, Kaito--especially if you--"

_Th-thump._

No more distractions. He couldn't handle the pressure--the _pain_ anymore. Those tears that had pricked his eyes before were now threatening to fall--from the pain, from that part of him that understood with the same horror she felt what was going on, from just not being able to stop himself. No more distractions--that was what he needed. He needed-- "I'm sorry," he managed to whisper--

_Th-thump._

Just before he allowed the hunger full reign.

_Th-thump-th-thump._

Just like the witch but not at all like her, this girl went rigid with mixed pain and pleasure assaulting her senses, clinging to him as he had clung to her. But she was still pliant...and being in the awkward position they were in, he was able to slowly bring her out of his lap and lay her against the floor, following along with her and allowing her to clutch at the dark clothes he'd worn as a disguise.

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

Not at all like the witch...this girl...was perfect. Without question--the taste, smell, touch...they were going to try him nuts even when he tried so hard to slow down, to not make this painful for her--that wasn't what he wanted for her. He'd never wanted to hurt her, after all. But then...this kind of pain...was an esctacy she'd probably never felt before, either.

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump-th-thump._

Unlike those other times he'd fed, he was fairly calm, not falling into that spiral that the witch seemed to pull him into. Instead, it almost felt as if while taking what was hers and making it his, she was also taking a part of him and making it hers--completely not possible but then again...there was something different about all of this...

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump-th-thump-th-t hump._

God, that heart of hers just wouldn't give its last, never missing that beat, never slowing, never seeming to give up even when the substance that kept it going was quickly leaving her body in a way that was making her try to catch her breath but leaving her completely unable to as her hands clenched and her heels dug into the ground. Her movements did nothing but make him bite down more--harder, even when he hadn't wanted to.

_Th-thump-th-thump-th-thump-th-thump-thum p-thump._

And only then did her heart finally seem to reach its limit, slowing itself as he continued to draw its source away from it. But how could he have simply stopped there? That lulling sound her heart made...was the most calming thing he'd heard all day and as it got slower, he could feel that hunger of his finally draw back to that part of himself that still remained in control.

_Thump-thump-thump...thump...thump..._

It was only within those last beats that Kaito was able to slowly claw his way back in control, but even when he pulled away from his childhood friend, even as he began to realize what he'd done, he heard the last of that heart beating, felt her hands fall away from where they had been clinging to his clothes...

_Thump...thump...thump...thump..._

And all he could do was stare in horror and disbelief.

"A-Aoko..." he managed to choke out as he vainly listened for another beat--just one other beat! Aoko was a strong girl--she wouldn't have just--but he couldn't fool himself as he gently shook her in a way that would suggest that she was merely sleeping. "O-oi! Aoko, this...you can't--"

He stopped his words when he received no response and saw the mark on her neck--tasted the blood in his mouth.

Kaito put a hand to his face, shaking all over--this time from the panic he was feeling. Yes, he could panic now--especially since...especially when--it was all his fault.

No, no, no, he furiously thought to himself, shaking his head, trying to clear his thoughts. Even...even if he had done that to her...there was a way to fix this--Koizumi had said--and _he_ himself had been--but damn it, he didn't know how all of that _worked!_ And even if he did, did he want to put Aoko through all of that--

Yes, yes, _yes_--damn it! He'd stolen her life from her! Just because...

You would think, he thought almost hysterically to himself as he stared down at the girl lying before him--almost looking to be asleep, that it would have been enough to keep himself from hurting her like this...those things he felt for her. But then again, that was probably the reason why this all happened. Why the hunger had waited for its chance to pounce--

But he couldn't blame it on just the hunger itself. He could have suffered through it--he _knew_ he could have...but he had chosen to do this instead--some great sacrifice, some great feelings--none of it _mattered_, so how was he supposed to _fix this?_

Clinically dead. That's what Koizumi had said. Kaito quickly racked his brains for more of that particular lesson--of how his sire had done this to him. She had given the information to him bluntly, spelling it out for him--_so why couldn't he remembered it when it mattered?_

Because he was panicking, he knew, but it was getting harder and harder to keep his thoughts under control as he tried to drag that memory into the present to be utilized. Poker Face...where the hell was Poker Face when he really needed it? Only when he was in front of others it would work? Or maybe this was really the one thing that Poker Face _could not_ hide from others--_screw_ Poker Face, he needed that information!

Clinically dead...blood was taken _from_ her...so...to give it back--

It was an accident that he glanced at the hand that he'd wounded before that whole episode had started, but it managed to get him thinking and planning and--one could even say scheming if he'd been thinking clearly. As soon as he saw his injured hand, blood now drying and wound slowly scabbing, he suddenly had it in his mind what he should do.

There wasn't any thinking about it--he _had_ to do this. It would be...torture for Aoko, who knew nothing about this sort of thing--hiding the pain, blocking out those things that couldn't be helped...she was vulnerable against those sorts of things. But if he _didn't_ do this, then he'd just killed the one person who could keep him from going _insane_--vampire or no, even if he was terrified of her ever discovering the true nature of his night job, she was still always there _with him_ ever since they were kids.

...was that how that person felt when they had done this to him?

He pushed it all from his mind and used his nails to scratch at the scabs, making them bleed as freely as they could before he studied the flow critically, almost dispassionately as he focused on the task at hand.

...it wouldn't be enough.

So he carefully rotated his hand to stare at those veins he knew were capable of giving the amount--the volume that would be required to bring her back...or at least enough to have her realize what was needed to be done for her to be well again--like it those movies.

No more time to waste and without a sharp object on him to help make the process easier, Kaito lifted his arm to his mouth and bit down as hard as he could into his wrist. Naturally, it hurt and of course, the smell of blood was probably going to awaken that hunger again--even when it had already been fed far more than it usually was--but if that was what he had to do--he'd do it.

He only wished he he hadn't done any of this in the first place.

But he quickly shoved that out of his mind and pulled his arm away before leaning over Aoko again, this time to reach behind her head and lift her into a position so that it would be easier--and smeared the blood against her lips. It was sickening, disgusting, and just plain _wrong_, but _something_ seemed to be working. Color was returning to her pale cheeks and her mouth was slowly opening--

He blindly thrust his bloodied wrist to where the blood could drip in and--

Just as he turned his eyes away, hands grabbed his arm.

Startled, Kaito looked back only to feel his stomach churn at the sight before him. Aoko had a firm hold on his hand, eyes closed and head raised and tilted in such a way that no drop of blood was wasted. And even then, she was slowly pulling his arm toward her.

It was...surreal. Seeing his childhood friend--the one person who'd always been there for him and ultimately the one person he may actually love do such a thing--drinking blood. It made him feel sick with the realization that _he'd_ done this to her, that even if she could ever end up forgiving him for making such a terrible mistake, _he himself_ probably wouldn't--

And then all thoughts fled his mind as her lips brushed against his torn skin. Whatever hold a vampire had over its prey...its supplier over blood...it was slowly being introduced to his system--first with small, almost needle-like stabs over and throughout the wound. Then, as he felt her _teeth_ begin to bite down--that pain he'd felt once before on that rooftop over a week again shot up his arm. If he'd been standing, his knees would have buckled. As it was, he was forced to put his free hand to the ground to support himself.

It wasn't really exactly the same as that night, but he felt that pain and pleasure mixture well enough to know that it was in no way different from a bite to the neck--maybe that was it...the location of the bite--

Of course, he didn't have much to even idly contemplate this. With the blood quickly leaving his own system and the pain and pleasure that went with it, Aoko had an easy enough time to sit up and then twist his arm to wear he was forced to fall against the ground--even that short of a distance making the air leave his lungs. Before he could recover, she had moved from her own position and was now carefully lapping at his arm before looking down at him.

Kaito couldn't even spare a moment of apprehension--if that was how he looked whenever he fed, then he never wanted to see it himself--because without preamble or any warning, she clambered atop him and sat on his stomach, straddling his waist. Then, before he couldn't even begin to speculate what she was doing, she dipped her head down--

And he turned his face away when hers was mere inches away.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could almost see the partially confused and puzzled look she was giving him. Of course...she would probably be focusing on what would make him most compliant--whims and fancies all worked out during the process of feeding, but there wasn't any point to that. Especially then, especially when--

He firmly shut all thoughts from his mind as she followed through with his silent rejection for that kind of comfort and went for the throat.

That pleasurable pain that he'd that he'd felt before returned with a vengeance--but just like he'd noticed before--it was different from that first night--maybe because he was a vampire himself...that was probably the most likely answer, in any case. But whatever the cause, it was _different_. The pain was worse but the _pleasure_ was better--almost enough to be compared to several illegal hallucinogens and painkillers...

It had him frozen. It had him _melting_. It had him turning his head to give her better access.

But even with all that going on, there was a third element that came out to play. That hunger of his that had been quieted by the blood stolen from the one sitting atop him was now reawakening--and quickly at that as she stole back that which had been stolen from her. So despite the almost-paralysis he'd found himself to be in, his body was shaking with the intensely focused _pain_ of that hunger--a pain that had no dampener and which overrode all pleasures that should have been felt.

When he could no longer bite back the noises of pain he made, she stopped and pulled away, staring at him in such confusion that Kaito wasn't sure if it was because she couldn't believe he was feeling _pain_ while under the bite or--

"Kaito...?" Aoko murmured in almost a sleepy manner, as if she was waking up from a long sleep.

It was such a relief, that Kaito actually let out a laugh before he choked on the air that was leaving his lungs as another stab of pain struck him. This seemed to wake Aoko up some more because she was soon off of him and kneeling next to him, face normal, eyes clear--same old Aoko...only not, but she hadn't realized that...and chances were she wouldn't remember until later.

"Kaito? Kaito, what's wrong?" she asked, falling back into that scared and worried role she had been in before all of that happened--oh yeah...they were still in a pretty bad situation in that building, weren't they? Funny how small that seemed at the moment. Her hands hovered over him as her eyes darted back and forth, seeming to try to find the source of the problem but not able to find anything except-- "Oh--oh, Kaito...your _neck_--"

He managed a grin even though his face hurt. His eyes were watering--damn it, why didn't he just buckle down and cry already? It would have been so much easier if he had. He was sweating--and more than likely he was pale, probably _sickly_ pale at that. Not a pretty sight most likely, his body shaking--almost _twitching_ and _spasming_ now--as the pain ran its course. Of course...yet again, he had a choice. Let the pain consume him or--

"A-Aoko," he managed to get out, but she had to lean closer to hear him, obviously knowing he was trying to get her to do something that would help. "You--y-you n-n-need to g-get Koi--Koizumi, o-okay?"

She immediately balked at the idea--of course, she would--silly him. "And leave you here for those men to find?" Aoko snapped at him, her voice a harsh hiss. "What if they find you? What if they find _me?_ I can't--"

"You--have--to," Kaito gritted out, swallowing back those cries of pain any idiot would let out except for him. "I--can't--_move._"

Aoko hesitated at that but saw the truth in his statement. Still, she firmly set her jaw, probably to keep from getting hysterical about everything. It worked so much better when the person was _dying_ and not actually _dead_, Kaito assumed. "All right," she finally conceded before reaching out and putting a hand to his forehead, a comforting and soothing thing that would have felt a lot better if his hunger couldn't smell her. "Just...I'll hurry, okay? You'll be okay."

He didn't respond but gave a forced grin, none-the-less.

With one last look-over, Aoko stood on her feet--and where was the blood on _her_ neck? he wondered...maybe it was like when he felt those marks on his neck...but saw nothing in the mirror--the same thing that happened with Koizumi? Then she carefully opened the door, looked around outside, and left, closing the door firmly shut behind her.

And he was alone.

Sick, unable to move though his body did _plenty_ of that for him, wanting to just either throw up and feel better or just flat-out _die_ already, he lay on that generic carpet-rug...thing in that room. Well, it wasn't _that_ bad really...worst scenario? He could really die there. Even worse? He could die there, have his identity of Kid be revealed, and--oh, yeah...there could be a _fish tank_ in there somewhere. Wouldn't that be lovely? Dying near _those_ things...

And even as Kaito entertained himself with the random things that came to mind as that hunger pulsed angrily in his gut, he was able to notice the door to the room quietly opening and a figure slipping in. The sweat and the tears in his eyes--damn the things, why didn't they fall already?--as well as just the pain itself was blurring his vision and he couldn't really tell... "A-Aoko...?"

There wasn't an answer, but whoever had entered the room was quick to show themselves. Without much warning, a vision of blue on white and a glass eye was looking down at him. Kaito stared in almost disbelief at the Kaitou Kid that everyone had been chasing that evening--even himself. Funny, he felt he should have said something along the lines of, "I _knew_ it!" or even a not-so joking, "You're fired."

Instead, he could only stare...at the man who should have been dead, while Kuroba Toichi looked him over, taking in every single injury and quivering muscle that made his almost-grown son as weak as he was.

Apparently, what the man saw wasn't a good thing because he was frowning--now _that_ was an interesting sight. Kaito could barely remember times when he was little when his father would frown at him like that, brow furrowed and lips pressing tightly together in almost an angry manner--probably beating himself up for being the one who started all of this, Kaito assumed. He wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

But the silence was becoming deafening, and Kaito was beginning to worry that maybe this person who was kneeling next to him was just a figment of his imagination brought on by the pain--hell, maybe he was just dying and didn't realize it yet. It would explain seeing a dead person easier. Then again, the whole vampire deal did that, too...

So he broke the silence, whispering quietly and hoarsely, "Dad...I m-messed up..."

The man who should have been a ghost but wasn't seemed to swallow thickly at that and slowly nodded his head. "I know, son..." he repolied just a quietly before reaching out to push unruly hair off a pale and clammy forehead.

Kaito couldn't help but laugh. "W-well...i-it could always...be worse?" he offered, not really knowing what to say and yet almost babbling with what few words he was able to get out.

His father didn't seem to mind this at all and only continued to watch him carefully, as if _Kaito_ was the one who shouldn't have been there. "Aoko got out safely," the previous Kaitou Kid said in a reassuring matter, even though Kaito hadn't thought to ask--he just figured she would somehow. "And went to get your source...they should be back within minutes--"

"Am I...going t-to make i-it until then...?" Kaito asked, what would have been a wry smile on his face if he hadn't flinched at the last second.

Now his father went quiet again. Whatever was running through his head was beyond his own son because--hey, they hadn't seen each other for over eight years...things changed...people changed...and Kuroba Toichi was still _the_ master of Poker Face. He gave nothing away, except maybe that it wasn't a very pleasant or positive thought that he was thinking.

But he did finally answer--the answer Kaito expected, honest to a fault, "No. I don't think you will."

Kaito closed his eyes and tried not to think too hard on the truth of that statement. Instead, he focused on getting past that pain that had every nerve ending shrieking their own pain while he himself remained silent except for the harsh sound that came whenever he struggled to get air into his lungs. Another thing Poker Face couldn't really hide--this pain made by the hunger. Oh, sure...it could make it seem less than it actually was, but that was it.

It was obvious that this sort of pain was slowly breaking him into pieces.

Especially when he heard his father shift and say in a soothing manner, "It's okay...deeper breaths. You'll fall into shock sooner if you don't calm down. Deep breaths."

He honestly did try to do as instructed, but it seemed like the deeper the breath, the sharper the pain would become. Before he could even take in enough air for it to be considered a "deep breath," the pain would grip him strong enough that he lost the air and gasped and panted for more to make up for it. Hyperventalation. Not a fun thing, Kaito was discovering.

Apparently, Toichi was seeing the difficulty he was having and took action to help his ailing son. Kaito could feel cloth-covered hands taking hold of him, pulling him back toward an equally clothed but warm body. Blinking his eyes open, he could see that he was now laying more or less limply, though with tremors running up and down his body, in his father's arms. Almost like whenever he'd gotten sick when he was little, Kaito thought sluggishly, almost in disbelief.

And almost exactly like whenever he'd gotten sick when he was little, Toichi looked down at him, watching him with a bit a smile, before asking, "Now...are you going to be stubborn or will you let me give you some medicine?"

Kaito couldn't resist a grin but replied seriously, "That kind of medicine...w-wouldn't it hurt?"

"Just enough so you can make it," the man reassured him quietly. "And it won't hurt as much as what you're going through now--"

"But it--will...if I t-take too much..." Kaito objected, shutting his eyes again as the pain spiked. He struggled to remember to keep his breathing calm...as even as he could. Thankfully, with his father holding him like that, it was easy to follow along with his own breathing, feeling his chest rise and fall...

"You won't," was the firm response before an arm was pulled away.

Kaito didn't even have to see to know what was happening. Talk about stubborn, he thought dryly to himself, if anything, that was a trait he'd gotten from the man who was now mimicking the action he'd taken to bring Aoko back.

The smell of blood assaulted his senses.

This time, he couldn't hold back the cry of pain he felt from the hunger.

One of his hands caught and clutched the label of the white suit while he tried to keep his body from arching with the pain. It wouldn't help either him or his father with their current situation, but all he needed was that blood--the blood he smelled, the one that had made him what he was--

His teeth ground against each other as he suffered through it, only letting up when he heard that low voice gently talking to him, coaxing him, "Shh, Kaito...it's okay. You're fine--"

Then the smell of blood became stronger...seeming to be _nearer_--

He willingly let go of all of his defenses, all of his control, and allowed the hunger to reign--to satiate itself. It pounced on the chance, and he soon tasted that blood that had twice before given him life--that would now save his life.

Oh, the relief...able to satisfy that hunger that had been slowly gnawing its way out of him, slowly destroying him...it was heaven. Just like that time on the roof...that time he could never clearly remember if he consciously recalled it--it was a immense pressure that had been released and the soothed. Soon, his body stopped quaking and he was able to focus better on the limb he was feeding from, knowing from experience that this person would soon be feeling that horrible pain if he didn't stop...

But his hunger balked at the thought of letting go when it still smelled and tasted blood. Especially when it was from this person. It had only been a week since he had become what he was, but still...it had felt ages since he'd been able to see this person again, to know them the way he did whenever he was fed that blood...

There was something about the blood of the one that made him that made him not want to let go.

But he had to, or else he would be hurting that person.

So he reliquished his hold, despite the hunger's demands.

...and Kaito lay there panting for a moment, recovering from all that had happened, regaining and rebuilding his control and defenses as quickly as he could before the hunger--which despite being fed, was still angrily pulsing within him--could start to begin that awful pain again. It would eventually build up to that point again...but hopefully Koizumi would be there before that happened.

He finally opened his eyes again to see his father watching him closely, his brow obviously damp with sweat that even the shadow of the top hat he wore couldn't hide.

The two Kurobas stared at each other for a long moment.

Then, without warning they were grinning at each other, both realizing how idiotic, strange, and just plain _messed up_ their lives and they themselves were.

Kaito let go of the lapel that was still clenched in his fist and used that arm to give the older man an awkward but wanted and long-awaited hug of thanks, of relief, of...whatever it was called when a son found his father that had been missing for so long again after thinking him dead. And Toichi did the same, ignoring the fact that his own arm was still bleeding--though a bit more slowly now, holding his son close.

For a long moment, neither seemed to want to move, but then...someone had to say something.

Kaito murmured with a bit of amusement, "You do know that I'm so going to have to make up for lost time now, don't you?"

Toichi gave a weary sigh. "Somehow," he said in a mock-mournful tone, "I get the feeling that you've grown up to be worse than when you were eight--"

"Nine," his son corrected as he closed his eyes again, feeling so tired and just not wanting to care about what was going around them--heist, men in black trying to kill them, Aoko and Koizumi coming to his rescue... "Last time I saw you. Just turned nine, remember? And Mom says that I'm only this bad because I take after you, you know."

A low chuckle greeted his ear and made him smile lazily. "I'm sure she does."

Another moment of silence followed that comment before Kaito managed to call up the courage to quietly ask the most important question he had, "Why didn't you _come home_ if you were alive?"

But his father didn't give an actual answer. Instead, he gently pushed Kaito away so that they could see each other, watching his son closely with a closed and guarded stare that made Kaito feel more than a bit disappointed and...hurt. Then a slow shake of the older man's head made him feel worse. "I can't explain everything here and now," Toichi said quietly before reaching up and gently running his injured arm's hand against the unruly hair his son had. "There's too much going on. We'll talk later...when you're recovered and when everything's more calm...give yourself time to think on everything and--"

"I get it," Kaito said softly, able to keep the majority of his disappointment from showing. But, of course, this was Kuroba Toichi. He knew the ins and outs of Poker Face, and he knew to ruffle his son's hair affectionately to take make everything seem a bit lighter-hearted. "So when exactly?"

A thoughtful silence came then before his father answered, "You have summer vacation tomorrow, right?"

Kaito blinked at him. "You keep track?"

A shrug but no actual answer to that question--apparently it was something that would have to wait until that time they would meet again. "Next week then? At Jii's pool hall?"

Again an incredulous look crossed Kaito's face. "Jii-chan's? Sure, but does he know that you're--?" Before he could even finish the question, his father was already moving, gently lifting him up into a sitting position and then manuvering him to where he was leaning against the wall. As the previous Kaitou Kid stood to his feet, Kaito tried to get up himself, objecting, "O-oi--!"

He froze and then fell back against the wall when he felt the hunger began to slowly grow again. He was still too weak to move without losing his focus on his defenses, and Toichi knew that.

An apologetic look from his father proved his suspicions right, and the teenager openly glowered at the man. "Now, I told you to _rest_, didn't I?" he chided his son with a quirked eyebrow. "Your source will be here soon and I need to finish up this heist before Nakamori-keibu truly does blows a gasket--he _does_ have a daughter to raise, after all--"

"But those men--" Kaito said, trying again to push himself up but this time was pushed back against the wall by a gloved hand on his shoulder.

A stern gaze met his own. "Kaito," Toichi began slowly, careful to let his son know he was serious, "those men have been after me before. I know their tricks. These are men you've just barely run into--_you're_ more endangered by them than I am. So please...just stay here and _wait_. As I've said, your source will be here any minute and they and Aoko will be able to help you get out of here and to safety. I'll distract those men long enough so that you three will have an easy escape, but besides that, there's nothing I can do to keep them from coming after you, do you understand?"

He did understand. Much to his distaste, Kaito couldn't help but to understand and actually _know_ that his father was right and that's what had to be done. After everything that happened tonight, of course things would end this way, he thought somewhat bitterly.

He finally looked away and nodded, earning another brief ruffle of his hair from those quick fingers that he'd inherited. "Good," his father said softly before standing straight and turning to the door--which had been left opened the whole time. "Next week then."

And with that, the first Kaitou Kid made his exit, almost quickly enough to make it seem as if he'd never been there in the first place.

Kaito leaned his head back against the wall and blew a sigh.

Who had he been trying to kid this whole time? Nothing in his life was normal...

Then again, who was the judge of normalcy in the first place? That's what Kaito wanted to know right then as he focused on keeping the hunger down, not wanting to already fall back into that awful pain.

Then again...did he really deserve to think those kinds of things? Not wanting that pain? Who cared what he wanted...especially since that pain was the direct result of those actions he took...of the life he stole and then gave back...

Kaito lifted a hand to his eyes and rubbed at both of them, feeling their dampness and graininess. Sheesh. Nothing seemed to be going right--not that they ever _did_ go right. The only time Kaito actually felt like he knew what he was doing was when he was performing a magic trick or a heist. Poker Face was the only thing that kept everyone from knowing...kept _himself_ from really realizing--

But what did Aoko have to keep her from hurting when she finally remembered, finally realized?

He lowered his hand and closed his eyes, swallowing thickly as his mind mutinied against him and replayed the past thirty minutes. From his foolishly running headfirst into the heist, to finding Aoko, to running from those men, to the whole incident with Aoko, to bringing Aoko back, to his father who helped him recover at least enough so that he _would_ survive the wait for Koizumi...

And now he could tell that Koizumi and Aoko were close. Just like his father had said, they hadn't been that far and were quickly making their way to him. Kaito couldn't help but to grin to himself as he opened his eyes and saw Aoko push the door open wider as she burst in, Koizumi following her at a more sedated pace.

Seeing that he was now positioned different and that his shaking had stopped--at least for the moment--Aoko looked somewhat relieved but also more worried at the same time as she knelt next to him. "Kaito," she said, looking over him quickly to see if he was still hurting. "You're okay now? But...your neck and you--"

Kaito slowly shook his head, closing his eyes again and swallowing again. There was no way he couldn't not feel the guilt burning within him for what he'd done to Aoko...but he couldn't help her if he couldn't help himself so he answered, "It's a temporary reprieve. Koizumi." He opened his eyes again to look up at the witch who watched him with a closed expression. Something told him that he wasn't the only guilty party in that room. "We need to get out of here and someplace safe. D--Kaitou Kid's giving us a distraction, so we'll have to work with that...

He mentally kicked himself for the small slip-up when Aoko gave him a curious look. He avoided her eyes and sighed. "But...I think I'll need some help walking..." he finished quietly.

The witch watched him for a long moment before nodding. "I understand," she said with a perfectly even tone. "Nakamori-chan, if you could take Kuroba-kun's left, I'll take his right. My home is actually pretty close to this place. We can all rest there."

Aoko looked relieved enough for both Kaito and herself. "Thank you, Akako-chan."

Kaito didn't say anything. It was a bit too soon for thanks. That, and the fact that he had more than just a bone to pick with the witch. But that could wait. While Aoko and Koizumi worked to get him standing, Kaito had to keep himself in check, feeling the hunger beginning its attacks again. Not enough to leave him incapable of movement yet, but enough to make his legs weak and his hands shake.

It wasn't going to be easy, but they would make it out all right. That much, Kaito knew.

...or at least hoped.

-

-

Surprisingly--or not very surprisingly, Kaito couldn't remember much of the journey out of the building and onward toward Koizumi's home. In fact, the next thing Kaito could clearly remember was laying on a fairly comfortable bed--a large, western bed full of feather pillows and with a feather comforter that had been pulled up to his chin. As he lay there after first realizing that he did not, in fact, recognize his surroundings, Kaito came to the conclusion that he'd passed out.

...funny, he'd been worried about the hunger taking over his weak state and, instead, his body had shut down on him. Irony at its best, he was sure.

And he couldn't blame himself for falling unconscious. As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, Kaito came to realize just how _tired_ he was. Of course, the most likely source of the exhaustion was from all of the events of that night, but if he really thought about it, the teenager couldn't deny the fact that for a long time...he'd never just been able to just _relax_.

...relaxing was kind of nice, he was finding.

Especially in a bed like that. Who could really keep themselves awake on something so soft? Even he was ready to just drift off back to sleep...

Until his hunger realized that he was awake and capable of actually being able to satisfy it by feeding.

He choked as the first stab of pain hit his gut.

He clutched at the bed sheets, as he tried to focus his breathing, tried to keep from succumbing to the hunger's painful attacks.

He wished he could now say it wasn't fair that he had to go through that sort of thing, that sort of pain. But how was is _not_ fair? Of course, he'd had no choice in the matter...and his father would have some answering to do for that, but _she_ would soon feel the same pain--she would feel it because _he_ had--

Kaito quickly shoved those things from his mind. They were distractions--_distractions_. He needed to focus. Needed to keep in control. He needed--

"Kaito?" At the sound of her voice, he couldn't help but to look over, see Aoko standing there with the water that she had brought, obviously expecting or hoping that he would be waking up soon. But the worry and concern on her face showed that she hadn't expect him to be hurting like he was. Without warning she shoved the glass of water onto a table and ran back to the door, where she called loudly, "Akako-chan! Akako-chan, he's awake!"

A question must have been asked from the witch because Aoko then answered, almost in a frantic manner, "He almost looks as bad as he did at the heist--oh, Akako-chan, just _hurry_, please?"

Kaito couldn't help but to silently laugh at that. So Koizumi was taking her good sweet time. That was fine with him. He could wait it out just a bit longer...especially if the witch was doing this to punish him somehow. It wouldn't be that unbelievable, really. And he couldn't really blame her if that's what she was doing.

Without too much more of a wait, however, Koizumi entered the room and went straight to the bedside at the insistance of Aoko, who seemed to understand somehow that Koizumi would know what to do--which was probably because Kaito had asked for her back at the hesit...

The witch peered down at him in a studious yet detached manner that had Kaito once more feeling like a specimen under a microscope.

Aoko stood behind her classmate before gently shaking her shoulder. "Ne, Akako-chan," she said nervously, "you don't think it's too serious right? The flu? A cold? Mono?"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much, Nakamori-chan," the witch replied coolly before giving Kaito a small smile that made him feel as if his stomach had dropped about an inch or two, "there's an quick solution for it. And I think it best that you know what it is, considering that I do believe that you've also caught this particular _ailment_--"

"K-Koizumi..." the magician objected quietly but firmly.

She merely raised an eyebrow at him.

Aoko didn't seem to hear or see the exchange between them as she then asked, "You think..._I_ have it too...?"

Just at the edge of the pain that was racing through him, Kaito could feel the lurking panic that was just sitting there, ready to flood him at any moment. But no...if he panicked that would mean his focus would be gone--but Koizumi...she was going to tell Aoko and--

...and then what? Aoko was going to remember on her own eventually, right? He himself did, after all. So...so what if she remembered right there and then because Koizumi told her? Wouldn't it be better than having it come back to her all at once while she was alone? Wouldn't it be better to just let her know just who was the one who'd done that to her?

It would...wouldn't it?

The panic ebbed away, and Kaito found himself lying there, staring up at Koizumi. And through the pain, he was able to feel that jone thing that had been pressing on him since it happened. That guilt of making such an awful mistake...of doing that to Aoko...of ever just being there to endanger her this whole time.

Aoko seemed to somehow notice a difference in his behavior and watched him for a long moment before hesitantly asking, "Kaito...?"

He just...couldn't look her in the eyes anymore. So he looked away and took in as deep a breath as he could, trying to work past that lump in his throat and--god, those weren't those damn tears again, were they? They never fell so what was the point in them coming in the first place, he thought furiously to himself as he mentally scrambled to shove it all away, lock it behind Poker Face. Just like he'd been taught, right? Just like he'd then learned on his own...

But the simple thought of Aoko not having such a thing as Poker Face ruined everything.

He couldn't hide it all away right then. There was too much this time. The pain, the guilt, the sight of her standing _right there_ in front of him, _worrying_ for him...

Quietly, and more strangled than Kaito had ever heard come from himself in such a very long time, the words escaped again, "I'm sorry, Aoko...I'm so sorry. I never meant to--"

But he stopped himself when he saw her face again. Saw that distant look that showed that she was remembering the other time that day he'd apologized to her--right before he had bitten into her. Her hand slowly and shakily reached up at her neck where it froze upon coming across those marks that she could feel but not see. Tears were coming to her eyes as she remembered what had happened...what she might have been thinking during that entire ordeal--thoughts, feelings...all rushing by.

But unlike Kaito...Aoko let her tears fall. One after another, seemingly without end.

Koizumi even appeared to be a bit uncomfortable with the sight of those tears, asking with some concern as she reached out to comfort the distressed girl, "Nakamori-chan--"

Aoko drew back and away from the other girl, looking very much like a wounded animal caught in a corner. "D-don't touch me," she whispered quietly, her eyes slowly refocusing...and falling onto Kaito, who hadn't looked away fast enough. Their gazes met for only a split second before she turned away--and then ran out of the room.

Despite the pain, Kaito tried to bolt from the bed and chase after her, shouting quickly, "Wait! Aoko--!"

Koizumi stopped him before he could get any further than sitting up. For a moment, he tried to struggle, tried to get passed her and to wherever Aoko had gone, but one wrong move had him freezing, falling against the witch as he tried to recover from the particularly harsh stab that the hunger had attacked him with. Koizumi didn't protest against the sudden weight, but instead, she wrapped her arms around him and held him as the pain washed over him.

Kaito shut his eyes and clutched at the cloth under his hands, trying to push it all away, to center himself like he always could--that is, like he always could _before_ that night of that Kaitou Kid heist. Ever since then...even during that very _night_, he'd been messing up...causing such mistakes...letting such idiotic things happen even when he _should_ have seen or realized...!

Not knowing what else to do, he pressed his face to Koizumi's shoulder, struggling to catch his breath.

Then, he let the hunger have its way.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ Ahahaha! Vampires! ...I'm having too much fun with this mini-series--speaking of which, there should be around two more of these Vampire stories in here. ...if not more. -sigh- Hope it's not more than those two...but then again... 

Oh, and someone asked a question in the reviews for the last fic, and in answer: I have no idea how I can stand to write so many sad, angsty deathfics. 8D No idea at all! I just churn 'em out...to be honest, I don't really find any of them sad...except for that last fic...that thing was sad when I was listening to a particular song D:

But yesh! Inside the mind of Jeva is a scary place! ...or not, but let's pretend that it is. -thumps up- More soon!

P.S. - Almost forgot. But title for this ficlet? Came from this quote: _"The pleasure of risk is in the control needed to ride it with assurance so that what appears dangerous to the outsider is, to the participant, simply a matter of intelligence, skill, intuition, coordination - in a word, experience."_ - A. Alvarez

...suitable, ne?


	7. Murderer: Two For the Show

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** Two For the Show  
**Author:** Jeva  
**Theme:** #21 - Cold  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Snake/Jackal, Konosuke Jii, Vermouth, Kudo Shinichi/Edogawa Conan  
**Rating:** R?  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death; also: this fic may or may not make sense. Just so you know.  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary: **_The old man closed his eyes in a false visage of a smile. "Care to make a gentlemen's wager then?"  
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* * *

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The cold steel rested firmly at the base of a skull.

A wry laugh came from the one kneeled down, waiting for the gun to go off and end everything. "So much for that rule, isn't it?" he asked the one holding the weapon, eyes looking to the left to meet the other's in the reflection of shards of glass still in the broken window. "Figures. You were always a hypocr--"

A thumb was all that was needed to cock the gun, sliding a bullet into the chamber.

The older man grinned at him through the reflection. "So pull it already! You know my organization well enough to know the best don't care about death--"

"You care so little for it, you make the biggest mistakes with it," was the quick retort. "Before I do anything, however--kill you, stun you and leave you for the cops--at this point, I'm not too picky but, well..." The sharp eyes in the glass narrowed further, amethyst gaze showing everything while his monotonous voice gave nothing away. "Unlike you, I always have believed my father's rule of No One Gets Hurt is worth following."

Dark eyes widened for a moment in unguarded surprise before the man could school his face into a sneering mask. "'Kill the children so they won't come for revenge,'" he muttered to himself before cursing under his breath when he then saw a flash of white teeth in the shape of a grin. "Son of a bitch--"

The muzzle of the gun nudged closer to his scalp. "Watch it," warned the grinning gunman. "What do you know about my mother, anyway? I wouldn't bet that you know anything, really. But like I said--you made a mistake. What did you think Toichi's son would do if he found out the real reason his father died before his tenth birthday? And using his performance as the scapegoat--"

"Heh," the assassin laughed shortly. "If it was my choice, I would have. To be honest, you would have been dead, too, if I didn't have my orders." Eyes sharpened with suspicion in the glass. He continued, seemingly amused, "What? You think you and your whore of a mother were left alone because you were magically protected? Listen, _Kid_, I may have ben told to lay off after I got rid of your old man, but that doesn't mean we didn't always have a spy around, watching."

"Watching?" Now the features in the glass were becoming slightly distorted as the night grew heavy with a slow, steady drizzle. "For what?"

"What?" the man asked, sneering at the figure of white behind him as puddles began to form on the floor, leaking in from the broken window. "Just because I was a bit put off to learn who you are doesn't mean others didn't know. I left Toichi's family be because I was ordered. Figured they'd be killed. And if you weren't killed, that means someone wanted to test an experiment."

"Experiment? What--" The question was cut off as the man kneeling on the floor suddenly jerked harshly forward. Kaitou Kid watched, stunned, as his father's killer's eyes went dull with death as his brains splattered forward, following the path the bullet had taken. The body landed face-fist on the wet pile of fragmented glass.

Kid continued to stare at the glass--covered in a layer of red--feeling his once-steady hand shake as he loosened his hold on the weapon. Someone else had fired the bullet. He had bluffed and had kept his index finger safely outside the trigger guard. He hadn't though for an instant of murdering the other man.

Someone else had pulled the trigger.

"So sorry," a voice came from behind him, making the phantom thief stiffen, instinct screaming danger while his mind strained to process what was going on. "I had merely meant to graze his head. Ah, but I suppose age has finally caught up with me."

There was no saving face now. Dressed in white, knowing he should maintain his composure as the Kaitou Kid, Kuroba Kaito slowly looked over his shoulder. His violet eyes were already wide with shock and disbelief, but as he began to fully face the person who had managed to sneak up on him, Kaito's expression warred between calm composure and outright grief. He knew who the killer was.

"Jii-chan..." he said quietly, unable to believe it.

Konosuke Jii had his pistol aimed at Kaito's heart.

"Jii-chan...you couldn't have..." His voice trailed off when he found that there was no way that he could deny what he had just seen. The old man's blank expression only made that realization hit home. He had. He had just killed someone and didn't seem to care... "Why? I already had control of the situation. There wasn't a way he could have done anything--!"

"If you forgive me for my bluntness, young master," Jii said in a frank matter that stopped Kaito's words faster than any other method he could think of, "but you can't know what these people could have done even when in this situation. You may think that they are less of a danger when at the end of the line, but truly, they are more vicious and cunning at that point, lulling you into a false sense of security before striking."

Now the old man's brow furrowed into a frown as his eyes softened and his lips smiled. "I know understand you're appalled by all of this, as it goes against your father's protocol, but...that is half of the reason why he was killed in the first place...if you understand my meaning."

Somehow, Kaito could pick up something within those words. A riddle almost. One that left a cold dread running down his spine. He quickly struggled to push it all from his mind, to focus on the important things--not thinking of the dead body behind him. Poker Face.

Then it clicked, and his hand clenched the gun that he had somehow managed to keep in his grasp. "And the other half..." he said slowly, keeping his eyes trained on Jii's without wavering, hardening with resolve. "The spy."

"The spy, yes," the old man responded without a pause, and Kaito became even more aware of the gun he held as he continued, voice filling with a sort of regret that was more than a bit...twisted, "Which is why I tried to keep him from speaking. But I suppose it's for the best. The Order would have done much worse to him if he had continued telling secrets like that. There was a reason he was a simple assassin, after all."

Kaito closed his eyes then, a strained smile on his face, "A simple assassin...so I've been chasing the underdogs of this whole organization the whole time while you...made sure I didn't go too deep and find out." A small laugh escaped him. "What's the matter, Jii-chan? Why protect the person who you were assigned to watch over, assigned to kill if he ever got to the point where he is now? I guess you're better at the art of disguise than I thought--pretending to be Toichi's attendant--"

"That was no lie, I assure you."

Kaito opened his eyes and cocked his head in mock-curiosity. "You were his attendant just to kill him, weren't you?"

The old man didn't reply, but instead, his finger tightened on the trigger. "I have tried to protect you these past years, young master, but I'm afraid I can't protect you from this."

The thought quickly ran through his mind. Before he knew what he was doing or what he was _going_ to do, the world-renown thief aimed his weapon at a second man that evening. "I highly doubt," Kid said stonily, his expression a blank as though he were detached from the entire situation when, in fact, he could feel his heart thumping wildly in his throat in a dreadful panic, "that you have been only trying to protect me this whole time."

The old man closed his eyes in a false visage of a smile. "Care to make a gentlemen's wager then?"

A suspicion was forming in the back of the youth's mind, but what it was, he still couldn't rightly say... "But what shall we bet with?" he asked almost mockingly.

The old man just continued to smile. "I would bet that one of us is bluffing," he said instead, not seeming to really care for naming the victor's prize.

A bead of sweat was making its way from Kid's white top hat down his temple and then cheek as he considered this statement, trying to understand what it was that this man who had always been there for him, even if it was all a lie, was trying to say. "Am I supposed to guess which one of us you think is bluffing?" he asked, cautiously tilting his head again, trying to get a better look at the other's face.

The smile that was still present on the weathered and worn face, however, revealed nothing. A Poker Face of his own, Konosuke Jii replied, "That's quite all right. Let us just find out which one of us is bluffing--if one of us is, indeed bluffing."

His finger suddenly began to tighten as Kaito's eyes went wide with alarm--

_BANG!_

_Crash!_

..._thud._

A long period of silence came after the sound of a body falling, accompanied by the clatter of a gun falling from limp hand. During that time, he remained standing, visibly shaking as the scene played back over and over in his mind, as he tried to rationalize what had just happened.

But all he could see was the blood and those eyes finally opening to show the truth behind the whole matter...

Without even realizing it, he slowly walked over to the fallen gunman and knelt beside him, dropping his own gun with a _thunk_. His eyes quickly ran over the bleeding for laying before him, trying to find a solution, a way to fix this, but as soon as he began to reach out to put pressure on the bullet wound itself, a hand grabbed his, effectively stopping him short.

He then spoke quietly, hoarsely, "Jii-chan...you--you were bluffing--"

The old man smiled up at him, dark eyes bright with an emotion that Kaito was hesitant to describe as the now even more feeble hand squeezed his own gloved one. "F-forgive me, young master...but I had to..."

"Had to?" Kaito murmured with a dull sense of confusion. "Had to because it was an order from those people? Because I--"

He stopped when he saw the old man slowly shake his head.

"I--have not answered to those people...for a very long time..." Those dark eyes closed as they began to cloud with unshed tears. A shaken sigh racked the old man's small, injured form while Kaito brought his other hand up to clutch at the other's that still held his own. "I-it was just as you said...I--was the spy...who gave away Kuroba Toichi's secrets--who gave them the knowledge...they needed to destroy him. And I have regretted it...

"The master...he was the one who taught me t-to believe in that sort of ideal...the one that he would use when he moonlighted as Kaitou Kid. But they were much too strong--and I did him a dishonor...leading the Jackal-Snake to him--and his weakness..."

Kaito watched the old man he had thought he'd known with wide eyes, hearing the words and knowing what they meant...but still not believing them--not even after being faced with killed or be killed, not even now as he witnessed the regret and grief that poured from the old man through his tears, through his blood. "Dad's weakness..." he then echoed quietly, slowly, as a dull and final sense of understanding made him close his eyes and hang his head.

"Yes..." Jii continued, voice growing weaker and weaker as what time he had left in this world was spent. "Your father--the master was a very kind man...with a life-loving soul. He could never bear the thought of violence...of murder--it was why he established Kaitou Kid...as being the non-violent sort--of criminal. Heists...were his performances--not some paltry means...to get within the range of his prize...which is how you have conducted your heists, young master. Stunningly similar...

"But when those men...came after him--your father continued to refuse to back down...and continued to refuse protection that...I myself offered him--a watchful eye...and a deadly weapon that couldn't be seen. He...continued to claim...that they were the ones--who should be brought to justice...even if it meant...endangering himself to make others realize..." The old man's body shook then, and Kaito felt alarm rise up within him again, thinking that he would be left with only half of the story told.

It was only when Jii continued that he realized that it was actually guilt-ridden sobs that had made him shake so. "But they were cruel...and were much too hidden...and knew exactly where to strike. They--took what I could offer them...and made me vow to--continue service with them...I had not truly known...what they could--d-do with that knowledge...to attack the master...when he was a civilian--and leave his family...for those vultures...

"But I had...sworn to myself--sworn on the...the master's grave. That I would--protect his wife...and the young master...for as long as I could."

Kaito closed his eyes tighter, screwing them shut as he clenched his teeth as he knew and understood. "...they're more dangerous when they're at the end of their rope," he whispered, remembering the first man who had died that night and the eyes that looked at him through the broken glass which seemed to vow a painful death even though he was trapped--especially then. "Dad...came close to cornering them, didn't he? Not just one of them...but the whole thing--because of Pandora--"

His eyes shot open and his mouth slowly opened as he tried to speak, as he looked to Jii in disbelief again. Jii merely smiled back at him, though the palor of his skin showed that he dying...and more quickly than he had thought. "Jii-chan," he said, leaning forward earnestly. "You know where Pandora is, don't you? You know the real reason why they want it, don't you?"

The brittle, tear-stained smile widened at those questions. "Yes...I know...where it is..."

The young thief clenched the frail hand between his own. "Jii-chan, you have to tell me! If they get to Pandora before I can--!"

"They won't."

Kaito froze, feeling the cold metal of a gun barrel at the back of his head.

He stared down at Jii, trying to ask without asking if he had set this up as well, if this was a deja vu of his former betrayal. One look at the old man's horror-filled eyes let him know. This was not something he'd been expecting. This was not something that he had wanted to happen.

So Kaito closed his eyes and willed himself to be calm, no matter how much he could feel his hands shaking even as Jii attempted to squeeze the one he still had a hold. Then, he said in as firm a voice as he could manage, "And to what do I owe the honor...of having you at my friend's last moments?"

He was sickened to hear a smile in that woman's voice. "Friend, you say, Kaitou Kid? And here I thought I just heard that he had betrayed your father...and even you by revealing your true identity. Kuroba Kaito."

Kaito began to turn his head to...to at the very least _face_ her when he retorted, but the gun was immediately pressed against his temple as he tried and so he resigned himself to following her lead. For the time being. "Aa...but I bet you already knew that information...what with your people chasing after a supposedly still-alive meitantei who you seem to want to protect."

"Oh ho!" the woman known as Vermouth said with a grin still in her voice. "And here I thought that being a magician thief didn't require a reasonable intelligence rating."

Kaito gritted his teeth but said nothing in return to the baiting. Instead he reiterated, "To what do I owe the honor?"

"Oh, but the honor isn't yours," Vermouth said quite peaceably before directing her voice to the only other (almost) living person in the room. "Konsuke Jii. And here I had thought that they would have killed you off by now. You must have learned some valuable lessons from the illustrious Kuroba Toichi as well--at least by watching and assisting rather than being an actual pupil."

Jii looked from Kaito with a pained look in his eye to the dangerous woman, stating as clearly and firmly as he could, "The master...always did appreciate--a curious audience--"

"Yes, well, that's half the reason he was killed, isn't it?" Kaito closed his eyes again, refusing to give rise to the obvious slap-to-the-face she had delivered Jii. She continued while he struggled to keep calm, "Now, Konosuke-san. I did say that they wouldn't get Pandora, didn't I? If you tell me where Pandora is, I will make sure they never lay their hands on it."

There was a long pause, and Kaito was almost afraid to open his eyes to find Jii had passed away in the middle of the woman's demand.

The sound of a bullet sliding into the gun's chamber, however, made him stiffen. "Quickly, Konosuke-san. Before you have to say farewell to your precious _bocchan_ before you follow him," Vermouth said lightly.

When Jii still didn't reply, she began to count.

"One."

The gun pressed firmly against his scalp.

"Tw--"

"Stop!" the old man weakly cried out, making Kaito open his eyes in shock. "Please...no--"

The gun fell back. "I'm glad you see it my way, Konosuke-san. Now. Where is--"

"Don't tell her!"

The shout had come out more of a command than anything, but at that moment, Kaito couldn't care less. Jii seemed to automatically obey the order, weakly looking between the two people looming over him, fear and uncertainty in his dimming eyes. "Y-young...master--"

Kaito shouted down his beginning of an objection, "Konosuke Jii, you always call my father and myself your masters--if you really and truly believe that and want forgiveness for your sins, _you will not speak another word about Pandora_--"

Pain lanced through his mind as he was suddenly slammed to the left, his hands releasing Jii's as he struggled to find his balance and his air. He landed hard on the ground, white gloved hands not able to catch him, instead slipping in a pool of blood. As he lay there, trying to push the pain away--anything involving thought hurt more than it should have. There was a high-pitched whine in his ears, and it took him another minute to realize that whine was the after-effect of having a bullet fired at and grazing his skull.

Dazedly struggling to push himself up again, he put a bloodied hand to the wound and immediately felt like retching. He swallowed back any vomit that threatened to snake up his throat, however, attempting to focus his senses on the happenings of the room. His sight was the first to return, going from a blinding white to dim and dull colors and blurry shapes. His top hat, he saw, was laying on the ground where he had been, seemingly still in pristine condition...except for the blood under it's brim.

It was then that smell and taste came, and Kaito realized that he was, in fact, covered in blood--Jii's blood...Snake's blood...his own.

It was enough to kick the gag reflex into gear, and without warning, he began to hurl, heaving up whatever was in his stomach. He hadn't noticed how horrible that place was, how close death was, how much blood there was--not until he began to regain control of himself, panting and sweating. Just as he closed his eyes against the images, a heeled foot was placed on his back and then shoved him back down into the gory mess.

He bit back a cry of pain as the heel then dug into his back, hands clenching to get a hold so he could get away.

This woman was really going to kill him. And there wasn't going to be anymore interruptions.

"You always were a brat, weren't you?" he heard her say in calm manner belied by her violence. She was angry, and he was pretty sure he knew why. "Even if you are his son, right now, I hardly see the value in you now that Konosuke-san's dead. You don't know where Pandora is and I have a better chance at finding it before they do than you."

Kaito clenched his teeth, feeling her heel dig deeper, feeling his body protest against the pressure, shrieking with pain along with the head wound he had which pulsed angrily as he tried to think of a way to get out this situation...to survive.

Dimly, he recalled. He had been at a heist before all of this had happened, hadn't he? And that meant...

A flash bomb fell free of its hidden placement up his sleeve--sleeves may have been for beginners, but they certainly were useful--and went off the second Kaito shut his eyes. Predictably, Vermouth backed down, but only long enough so that he could roll away from her, get to his feet, and start making a clumsy run toward the broken window.

_BANG!_

Pain raced up his right leg, but he ignored it, seeing freedom and life just a mere 5 meters away--

_BANG!_

This time, he stumbled, right hand flying to his left side in an automatic movement to isolate the pain and then dispell it from his thoughts.

If he hadn't been so literally running for his life, he might have heard Vermouth humming to herself as she fired the next four rounds:

_"One for the money.  
Two for the show.  
Three to make ready.  
And four to--"_

Kaito launched himself toward and out the window, just as Vermouth finished with a simple, "Go."

_BANG!_

_-_

_-_

It had been one of those times when he'd felt especially homesick. So he'd told Ran that he'd stay over with Agasa-hakase for the night. In actuality, he was taking the free time to wander his old house and do some decidedly "Shinichi" things. It was a burden having to continuously pretend to be 10 years younger than he was, so having some time to recharge and remind himself of who he was every once in a while was a relief.

There hadn't been any way of knowing what the night would bring or the consequences that would follow. It was just how the world worked, he knew.

Still, he couldn't say he wasn't surprised.

He had just been going through his bedroom closet when he'd heard the sound. A thump from downstairs. At first, he shrugged it off, thinking it to be a stray cat or even one of those lousy kids who thought his home was a haunted house. Not surprising, really, considering all the rumors that were flying around about his disappearance and all.

But then a crash and a muffled sound of pain came, and Shinichi knew it was time to investigate, eyes narrowing suspiciously as he opened the door and cautiously went down the hall. He got to the top of the stairs but stayed up against the wall, out of immediate sight of whoever was below. He strained his ears for any other sounds.

All was silent.

The possibility that it could be the men in black did not escape his mind. In fact, it was forefront and he silently cursed himself for leaving his shoes at the door. He still had his dart watch but that only had one dart to use against who knew how many...

When no other sounds came, Shinichi slowly looked around the corner down into the sitting room area.

Nothing. Nothing except for a horrible mess that looked only too familiar.

Shinichi stared in horror as his eyes followed the trail of blood until they came to rest on--

He jumped to the top of the handrail to get a better look, shock and dismay written on his face as he recognized the huddled and obviously pained figure covered in white...and red. "Kaitou Kid!" he shouted, mostly out of habit but partially to let the thief know that he was there.

Kid didn't move.

Shinichi dropped back to the floor and sped down the stairs as fast as his little legs could carry him. He jumped the last five steps and rushed over to the collapsed form--

He skidded to a stop as the smell came at him strongly.

The smell of a crime scene--of a _murder_ to be more precise.

And it was only then that he truly understood what Kaitou Kid was covered with.

Not quite knowing what to do or say, Shinichi cautiously approached Kid. For some reason, the image of Kid laying on the ground in that way, curled in on himself, keeping his extremities close to himself, shielding his abdomen, reminded Shinichi of a wounded animal. And as with any wounded animal, it was best to--

He froze as he suddenly came face-to-face with Kid's card gun, not knowing then that he had been the third person that night to be held at gunpoint by the normally pacifistic phantom thief.

He did realize one crucial detail that made this action even more alarming than it appeared.

Kaitou Kid was unconscious.

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ Um... yeah. Yet again, I fail at having an excuse. Plus, I can't even defend how badly it's written because... well, I was half-asleep and severely sleep deprived when I wrote it and, in addition to that, I have NO idea how good or bad I characterized Vermouth. I'VE NEVER WRITTEN HER BEFORE! XD Anyway, hope you all enjoyed and didn't feel gipped! To be honest, this is another little series things that I'll have in the 40 Death Fics I'll be writing. Eeeeeeh... why doesn't Kaito like me writing one-shots of his getting killed/killing people he loves/having him kill people he loves-- -shot- XD 

Anyway, not to worry! I have the fourth Vampire fic under construction and another one-shot Death Fic in the works. So... I should be updating again sometime! 8D!


	8. Murderer: Mark of a Distorted Mirror

**Fandom:** Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou  
**Title:** Mark of a Distorted Mirror  
**Author: **Jeva  
**Theme:** #33 - Mother  
**Characters:** Kuroba Kaito, Kudo Shinichi/Edogawa Conan, Hattori Heiji, Haibara Ai, Mouri Ran  
**Size:** 9,307 words  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Warnings:** I feel like being redundant so: Character Death  
**Disclaimer:** All things Detective Conan/Magic Kaitou belong to one, Aoyama Gosho. I don't claim to have created any of these characters...just the tormenting situations I put them in. :D  
**Summary: **_"Kuroba...what is it that scares you most? That they've managed to catch you? Or that someone else paid your price?"_

* * *

"I can't believe he actually came all th' way here. Why'd he come t'your place?"

"I have no idea. He drives me insane when he's not running around with those kinds of injuries. How the hell should I know what this is all about?"

"Eh...ya have a point. Still, I dun see why ya haven't called Nakamori-keibu--"

"Idiot. It's obvious, isn't it? I may not know what this is all about, but if Kaitou Kid came here, then it means that Kudo Shinichi somehow involved. He wouldn't have come here otherwise."

"And because Kudo Shinichi is involved, ya can't have the police take 'im away."

"Exactly. I wouldn't have even called you if I could have avoided it, but like this, I can't do anything."

"Oi...ya should call me even if ya dun need help movin' dead weight around and helpin' patch up a world-wanted thief--"

"Idiot. If I did, your life would be in ten times the amount of danger it already is--"

"Ahou, I can take care've myself, and besides, Kazuha already thinks I'm a danger to myself, chasin' after thieves and murderers--"

"Ah! I think he's waking up."

-

-

The first thing he felt was pain. Choking, suffocating pain that made him fist his hands in the--bed sheets?--and shudder violently as he panted for breath. He screwed his eyes even more tightly shut, trying to keep out the light that was pounding into his skull, trying to block all the horrible sensations that assaulted him, trying to remember what had happened and figure out where he was and who those two voices were--

"Oi. Kid--" the first voice said just as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

He reacted without thought, blindly flinging out an arm to dislodge the hand as he bolted up-right. A surprised yelp of pain followed by a shout of, "He's still in fight or flight mode--Hattori!" The last part was a warning as he then kicked off the blankets and sheets--what was he doing in a bed and not

surrounded by blood foul stench in his nose covering him his gloved hands finding no grip she was going to kill him just like he'd killed him--

He had been ready to spring from the bed, eyes still tightly shut, but the sudden assault of those memories, of those feelings, of those images...it made him lose control and he found himself falling without direction, not able to catch himself. He readied himself for impact only to feel himself be grabbed from behind and then pulled back onto the bed, pressed against a warm body that struggled to keep from overbalancing and falling off the other side.

"Gotcha," the voice said, Kansai accent making itself more well known to his panic and pain-filled mind. He had been ready to put up another fight to get away but found himself out of energy and unable to carry out his normal escape methods. So he resigned himself to whatever fate he had as he sat there, sweating, panting, and shaking all over. From panic, from pain, from exhaustion...but most of all, from fear. Fear that left him breathless and wanting to scream at the same time.

He was alive, but it had been so close...

Almost as though he understood what was going through the thief's mind, the lower voice of the two muttered in a clumsy attempt to be soothing, "Hey, hey...it's okay. Kudo and I aren't gonna do anythin' t'ya. And if ya keep tryin' ta put up a fight like that, you're gonna ruin those patch-up jobs we worked so hard on."

Again, a hand was placed on his shoulder, and he flinched.

Immediately the hand was taken away. "Okay...so no touchin'."

A soft snort came from the end of the bed. "One would think you would have learned that lesson the first time around, Hattori."

"Well, how was I supposed ta know he was gonna react that way?" the voice--Hattori, he told himself, collecting his thoughts and sorting out the entire situation in his mind, pushing out those sickening and horrifying images--Hattori Heiji demanded, seeming upset that he was being mocked.

The other voice--the voice of none other than Edogawa Conan aka Kudo Shinichi--gave a sigh before he explained, "Hattori, this is a person who runs from people for a career. Of course he's not going to like being touched. Not to mention his injuries and the events that may have occurred--"

A noise must have escaped him because the bickering stopped. Hattori shifted behind him, as though he wasn't entirely sure what he should be doing, while Kudo quietly spoke up to ask, "What happened that night, Kaitou Kid?"

Kaitou Kid, who was actually no more than Kuroba Kaito, a teenager the same age as these two detectives (minus the fact that Kudo wasn't exactly in his proper form), gritted his teeth as his hand flew to his head. It was, as Hattori had said, wrapped nice and neatly, hiding the ugly bullet wound he could feel throbbing in pain every time he breathed. Kaito didn't want to remember that night, didn't want to explain what had happened, why it had happened, why he had chosen to run to Kudo's for safety. He didn't want to deal with it, just wanted to run as he was always able to, run and survive like he had that night--by the skin of his teeth.

While he struggled to keep those memories from revisiting, he caught the end of Hattori's doubtful, "--wait till he's healed?"

Kaito listened as Kudo replied with that stern voice that he'd mimicked several times before, "Waiting will just give him a chance to bury it. Half the time a person goes through a traumatic event, if they are not questioned immediately after, they will forget details. They'll just know and remember that something horrible happened but keep themselves from actually remembering anything. You should know that better than anyone, Detective of the West."

There was a period of silence, and Kaito could practically feel the chagrin coming off the Kansai detective in waves. But...Kudo had a point, didn't he? He'd been half-delirious at the time, maybe, but he had definitely come to Kudo for a reason.

Kaito felt himself start to shake again as he resigned himself to answering the questions the small detective would ask of him. "Aa...you're right, t-tantei-kun..." he managed to whisper, feeling sweat trickle down his face as he felt Hattori's hands on his arms, as if trying to stop the constant shivers that shook the thief's body.

Again, there was a moment of silence before he heard the not-child exhale. It was obvious that he was preparing for a long ordeal. "What happened?" he was finally asked.

A simple question.

An impossible answer to give.

He sat there, trembling uncontrollably, drenched in a cold sweat, struggling to summon the words but unable to for fear that he would relive it all. That was the point, however, in order for the detectives to understand what had happened, what the events meant--or at least the last part of it all. Kudo and Hattori didn't need to know...they didn't need to hear him confess...

Unbidden, the words came in a mumble, "Kill or be killed. Run away to survive another day..."

He could sense the underlying confusion that the detectives were feeling but knew that they were thinking hard about the implications.

"Kill or be killed..." he heard Hattori mutter to himself only to feel those hands jerk away from his arms. "Dun tell me--"

Kudo interrupting, continuing the interrogation by asking instead, "Whose blood were you covered in?"

A shaky breath escape him before he forced himself to answer, "Mine...and two others'."

"Did you kill them both?"

The question was so blunt and so direct that Kaito's eyes shot open, and he found himself numbly staring at the small detective, not knowing what to say or how to answer. There was some accusation in the shrunken teenager's eyes, but it was watered down with things such as pity and intense thought. Kudo knew at that it was one of two answers--Kaitou Kid himself had eliminated the third option himself.

After a long moment, Kaito looked away, bringing his other hand to his head, bowing his head to stare at the neutral color of the sheets of the bed he sat on. He didn't want to think about it, didn't want to recall ever having committed such and act--a betrayal, hadn't it been? But hadn't he been tricked into defending himself in such a way? No...he could have run--or at the very least, used the non-lethal cardgun to knock the gun from--

Kudo wasn't going to be patient with this answer, demanding, "Kaitou Kid, did you kill--did you _murder_ those two other people whose blood was on your clothes that night?"

Kaito closed his eyes, choking as he tried to answer, tried to keep silent. "No..." he found himself saying after another long moment of silence. "One killed the other...then pulled his gun on me...so I--I thought he was really going to--"

"What weapons were used?" Kudo broke in, cutting him off.

This answer came quickly as he felt the pace of the questioning pick up speed, feeling sickened that he couldn't stop himself from answering or remembering, "Guns."

"You have a gun?"

"No." He shook his head, lowering his right hand, staring at it and remembering it being covered with a stained white glove. "I took the gun from the first person...used it to keep him subdued, to keep him from lashing out, but it was a bluff. Was going to knock him out and have the cops get him. Jii--"

"Who's Jii?"

His throat closed, and he couldn't answer, shaking his head, not able to look at the detective.

Kudo quickly backtracked. "So this Jii killed the first guy."

He nodded slowly, beginning to feel a bit dizzy. Maybe it was from the blood loss, from the over-exertion from trying to escape and answering the questions. Right then, Kaito was actually really thankful that Hattori was keeping him sitting up. Otherwise, he would have been unconscious by then, leaving them with only have the story...but maybe with enough answers to know what they should do.

"And you killed this Jii in self-defense."

Kaito didn't answer because at that point, he really didn't know.

Kudo just pressed on, "You mentioned 'run and survive another day.' Does this mean you ran from someone after that?"

That question alone made the feeling of nausea, of dizziness even worse than it had been, making him remember with dread and horror the feeling of being trapped--pinned to the ground and so close to death that there didn't seem to be an escape. But he _had_ escaped. He had to remember that. That he had made it out alive and away from that woman--that woman who had--

_You always were a brat, weren't you?_

His hands were shaking violently now, and he could hear Hattori muttering something behind him. The words didn't seem to make it past the memory of that high-pitch whine that had been in his ear, of the sound of that woman's voice, mocking him as he struggled to get away--

_I hardly see the value in you now that Konosuke-san's dead._

He felt like he was going to be sick, and both detectives apparently realized this because he suddenly felt a glass of water being shoved into his hands--but he managed to shake his head. He dimly heard Hattori tell him not to be so stubborn. After all, what was the point in thinking that he shouldn't unwittingly give them a DNA sample when they already had his face?

He still didn't drink but clutched at the glass as if it were a life-line, struggling to turn his focus away from that night and back to the present where Kudo was watching him closely, noting every detail and every action that the thief made.

Kaito tried to give a grin typical of the legendary Kaitou Kid, but as soon as he had it on, it broke. With everything that he was feeling right then, he didn't feel like smiling--not even to hide it all.

If anything, he felt like crying.

He let out a ragged breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding, staring down at the glass of water, willing himself to calm down again, to keep from allowing the memory to overwhelm him. It was during this short, although it felt so much longer to him at the time, period of silence that he realized that the nausea, dizziness, shaking, and constant sweating was more than just shaken nerves. His vision was going double on him, blurring around the edges.

And he still hadn't answered the question.

So, knowing there wasn't much time, he struggled to put the words together but found himself choking on them whenever he tried to speak.

While Kaito tried again and again to answer the question that would explain why he'd run to Kudo's house, he suddenly felt a hand against his forehead--surprisingly cool and soothing despite the fact that he'd flinched away from previous touches.

A curse escaped Hattori. "He's burnin' up," the Kansai detective stated harshly, leaving Kaito dazedly wondering if this was more serious than he was thinking. "Kudo, we gotta let him rest. The stress--oi, Kudo, are ya listenin' ta me?"

Kaito lifted his eyes from the glass of water to see that Kudo was not in fact paying any mind to the other detective and was, instead, paying very close attention to the feverish thief before him. It was probably a combination of that sharp expression on the shrunken detective's face and the on-coming fever that made it finally seem possible to grin--an obviously fake, self-loathing grin that helped him find the words he needed to answer the question.

"She...tried to kill me. That woman...from your organization..."

He was only able to see Kudo's expression transform from intense concentration to outright horror and grim understanding before he felt the glass slip from his hands, which were shaking much too hard to keep a grip any longer--before he found himself falling forward only to be caught from behind again just as everything went dark.

-

-

"O-oi!" Hattori shouted after he'd caught the unconscious thief by the waist. "Passin' out like that--"

"It's no good," Shinichi said quietly, still staring at the young man who was Kaitou Kid, not really knowing what to feel about all of this. "He was barely hanging on throughout most of the questioning, though I have no idea when he realized that himself."

The dark-skinned teenager carefully pulled Kid's limp form up so that he was laying against his chest. Kid's face was unnaturally flushed while the rest of him seemed so pale, and he was panting for breath in a way seemed too short and too shallow. For Shinichi, it was no surprise that this boy who played the role as a world-renowned phantom thief had come to be in this sort of condition. Even without knowing all of the details, just knowing the basic events of that night was enough.

Kaitou Kid had witnessed someone killed, had killed someone himself, and then had been the target himself. Had been targeted by a woman who by all accounts _should_ have been able to kill the thief--no matter how fast he was at running or dodging.

Just what was Vermouth playing at?

"Kudo." Shinichi looked to Hattori, who was inspecting the thief's bandages to see if the earlier fight to escape had damaged anything. Besides the head wound which seemed to not want to stop seeping even a bit of blood, everything else appeared fine. "I dunno much 'bout fevers or anythin', but his seems pretty high. We should take 'im ta the hospital but bein' who he is, we can't just hand 'im over--especially since--"

The Kansai detective stopped himself, seeming to refocus his attention on the ailing thief.

Shinichi understood the real reason why he'd stopped. "Aa," he replied gravely, "Especially since he's a target of the Black Organization now. Though why he would come here when this could actually be the most dangerous place to go--"

"It isn't."

Both detectives whipped their heads to look at the doorway where a small girl stood, looking in with an air of bored curiosity and knowing.

Shinichi resisted the urge to put a hand to his heart to calm himself. She'd surprised him. "H-Haibara--" he managed to get out, cutting himself off as she walked into the room and up to the bed, peering up at Kaitou Kid in a studious manner that made Shinichi quickly realize that they had another option. "Haibara, do you think you could help us with him? We can't--"

"I heard," she stated primly, stopping him short. She then looked to him with a grim expression. "But do you really think it's safe to take him in? If he thought that Vermouth was trying to kill him, he was sadly mistaken. Vermouth does not miss. She let him escape."

"Even though she managed ta hit 'im more'n once?" Hattori asked with some confusion.

Haibara only glanced his way for a moment. "Yes, especially then." Again, she gave Shinichi a side-ways glance with a bit of a smirk. "Don't tell me that the meitantei hasn't thought of the possibility."

"I've thought about it," he said grudgingly, looking over to study the unconscious Kaitou Kid again, "but that doesn't explain why he thought it was safe to come here. He knew who Vermouth was. He knew that she probably knows who I am, and yet he still came here. There's just no logical reason why he would come or even why Vermouth would want him to, if this is all her doing--"

"We can think more 'bout that as soon as we make sure that this guy won't die on us," Hattori interrupted stubbornly, making the two not-children look over to him in surprise. The Kansai detective picked up the spilt glass of water and put it on the nearby nightstand before continuing, "If we're gonna get any answers, it probably won't be till Kid wakes up and answers 'em, and in order for him ta do that, we gotta bring down his fever--"

"Simple remedies won't work."

Again, both detectives looked to the scientist. "What do you mean, Haibara?" Shinichi asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

The girl looked up at him for a moment before looking to the fevered young man. "He's been poisoned."

"_Poisoned?_" both detectives demanded in surprised and horror.

They hadn't even thought to assume that that would be the case, Shinichi realized as he looked to Kid again with growing dread and anxiety. There had only been bullet wounds--

His eyes widened, and he shouted, "Hattori, his back!"

The other detective went pale. "But that--"

"His back--?" Haibara asked with some confusion only to be cut off by Shinichi explaining, "There was a deep bruise on his back--about the size of a woman's heel. Now that I know who had been there, it's so obvious! Vermouth had Kid pinned down, most likely--judging from the location of the bruise and the fact that it was mostly his front that had been covered in blood--"

"Blood?" Again, the young scientist was confused, apparently having missed this part of the whole story.

Shinichi ignored her, quickly running through the scenarios in his head. "If she was just using the pressure of the heel on that location on his back, the pain had to have been enough to distract him if she was doing something else--poisoning him. But how would she do it?" He put a fist to his mouth, a thumb under his chin as his mind raced with possibilities. "We didn't find any other marks on him. Bullet wounds and that bruise on his back. The bullets couldn't have been coated with something because most likely the heat created by the friction in firing the gun could nullify the effects--"

Hattori spoke up then to add, "And there's no way for the bruise itself ta be the point where the poison was introduced ta his system 'cause there's no break in the skin, plus it'd just be on his clothes rather than his skin. With it on his back, there's no way he'd reach it himself and accidentally ingest it or somethin' like with cyanide--"

"Blood," Haibara said calmly, interrupting the flood of words.

For the third time, the two detectives paused, looking to each other before realizing-- "He was covered in it," Shinichi said, suddenly seeming shakened by the thought.

Hattori was looking at the thief in shock. "With those open wounds, if she was ta just even lightly lace it with somethin'..."

"The problem now is knowing which poison," Shinichi said, running a hand nervously through his hair as he realized how much time they were losing by figuring this all out. He looked over to his fellow not-child. "Haibara, you've got to help us. He can't die."

"Why not?"

Shinichi stared at her, stunned. "What?"

"Why can't he die, Kudo?" the girl asked him with a severe tone. "This is a man who is a danger to your cover and the livelihood of all that you hold dear. By keeping him alive, you're just making yourself a more physical target than ever before. It's one thing to get involved with murder cases and hide behind the Sleeping Kogoro--it's something else completely to take in someone targeted by them--"

"We took you in, didn't we?" Shinichi demanded sharply.

The former operative of the Black Organization stared at him blankly. "And I have a use. I am working toward making a cure, am I not?" She gestured to Kid. "What use is he? A thief. Someone who goes against all of _your_ principles and who will probably offer nothing in return for your having saved him--"

"We can't know that until we _do_ save him!" the detective shouted back, fisting his hands to keep from doing anything rash. "He came here for a reason! I don't know what it is yet but if we can keep him alive, he can tell us when he's able! He--"

"Is a liability," Haibara stated bluntly.

Shinichi stared at her, going silent as he studied the young woman who was in the same situation as him. In a way, she was right. It would be better if there was no more Kaitou Kid--no more thief that had been put into a situation he wouldn't be able to get out of. A situation that had been as much beyond his control as that night at Tropical Land had been beyond Shinichi's. Sure, he could understand the reasoning behind just allowing Kid to suffer through the effects of the poison before ultimately expiring from whatever nasty--or if the thief was lucky, mild--afflictions, but...

"I can't," he said aloud, looking Haibara in the eye, letting her know how much he had thought about the situation. Of course, it hadn't even been a few hours since he'd found Kid collapsed in his living room, but he'd considered all the possibilities of keeping Kid alive and safe. Had considered other possibilities--ones that Haibara had been quick to pick up on. "I know he's going to be nothing but trouble for us, but he's just like us, Haibara."

Now those were words that Shinichi never thought he would say, and he glanced over to Hattori to see how he took them as well. The Kansai Detective looked back at him with a considering expression, frustration and worry for Kid's livelihood evident. Shinichi knew exactly why Hattori was worrying. There was a very good possibility that if they didn't act fast enough and it would be too late and anything Kid could have told them would be lost.

The one-time-teenaged detective looked back to the shrunken scientist to see her reaction to his words. He was almost startled to see that she was calmly staring back at him. A bit confused, he readied himself to begin the argument anew, ready to state that for all they knew Kid would only have mere minutes, but what interrupted before he could even start.

"There's no cure for it."

Both detectives' eyes widened in horror, dread and some inner alarm sounding throughout their systems as they quickly looked to the fevered thief, only to hear Haibara say with a bit _too_ smug of a tone in her voice, "But it's mostly harmless. Flu-like symptoms if anything. A bad flu with fevers reaching up to maybe 39.5°C, dehydration induced in multiple ways, and of course, sore throat, dry mouth, stuffed nose--"

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT IN THE FIRST PLACE?" the two detectives exclaimed loudly.

The scientist remained unfazed, still seeming amused. "I wanted to be sure that you understood your own motives," she said with a bit of a smirk before her faced closed again and her voice dropped into a more serious timbre, "You know our risk if we take in this thief, Kudo. And you know that that could be exactly what they are wanting us to do."

Shinichi continued to glare at her for a moment before looking over again to the unconscious Kid. "I know," he said stiffly. "That's part of the reason I can't just let him go. If they're up to something, Kid holds the only clue I've got to work at solving the puzzle and figuring out if they're coming after us and where and when."

Haibara didn't comment on his flawed logic, and instead, went to the night table to get the glass that had been spilled earlier. "I'll get him some water," she said shortly, turning to go.

"Oi," Hattori called out before she could fully leave the room, "Just one thing. How th' hell can a _virus_ be contracted from a poison? Dun viruses have a short life-span if they dun have a livin' body ta live in?"

Shinichi looked curiously to her as well, wanting to know the answer to the question as well.

A dark, self-loathing smirk came onto Haibara's face that was quickly hidden behind the door jam. "You shouldn't ask such questions, Hattori-tantei," she said coolly and in a manner that sent a cold shiver up Shinichi's spine as she continued down the hall. "Those are questions that get detectives like you killed."

-

-

The relief that came with Haibara's reveal of the "poison"'s true nature was quickly deterred by the knowledge that it would still be a long while yet before the thief was healthy enough to even begin to give them any real help. With his temperature running somewhere around the 38°C and 39°C area, Kid was hardly able keep conscious. Let alone try to coherently tell them every minute detail of the murders and Kid's alleged escape--alleged because Shinichi still very much doubted that someone like Vermouth had simply _let him go_...

Except there was still something nagging at him, telling him he was missing something.

He was sitting on the edge of what had once been his bed and was now the temporary hospital bed for the ailing Kid, biting at his thumb nail and narrowing his eyes in thought as he kicked his decidedly short legs against the bed, when the first sounds other than harsh pants escaped Kid. At first, Shinichi hadn't even realized it was Kid making the sounds, until the thief began to move, either trying to escape from the bed--again--or trying to escape mad women with pistols, he wasn't sure, but it was eerie enough to make Shinichi realize that this was _not_ going to be easy at all.

Shinichi had had his fair share of night terrors--of men dressed in black coming after him, torturing him for any and all information he may have revealed to others about their inner workings before finally putting him out of his misery. More than once, he'd woken up, sweat pouring into his wide eyes, panting for breath, hands clenching at the blankets, shaking all over. Almost always silent, though. Because he couldn't afford Ran or--heaven forbid--Kogoro finding out that there was something wrong with him.

So when Shinichi realized what exactly was going on, he turned toward the thief and, careful not to touch the larger teenager, whispered in what he hoped was soothing tones, "Easy. It's just a nightmare. Just a nightmare."

It didn't seem to help at all, and instead, the thief became even _more_ agitated. Shinichi sat back and blew a frustrated sigh. Of course he'd react that way. Why on earth had he thought otherwise? This was not going to make things any easier, he decided beforee hopping down from the bed and exiting the room in order to intercept Hattori who had been acting more of the nurse-maid for the past few hours. Something that made Shinichi grumble to himself about picky thieves.

Hattori frowned at him as he reached the top of the stairs. "I'm guessin' you're not likin' this arrangement," he said lightly, raising an eyebrow in amusement.

Shinichi scowled at him, arms crossing over his chest, annoyance pouring out in waves from his small body. "Oh, yes. I always like taking care of sick phantom thieves when I'm the size of a 7 years and when he only seems to get worse whenever _I_ try to help." A withering look was shot to the snerking detective. "Plus, you can't exactly stay here all week to wait out his flu. So without you around, I'm down one person who can help out."

"Whatta 'bout Agasa?" Hattori asked, quickly stepping forward to glance into the bedroom to be sure that Kid was at least not going to try for the window again or something.

The shrunken detective blew another irritated sigh. "He went to some sort of scientific convention. Something about inventors and former colleagues," he said shortly before pausing and reconsidering. "Or maybe it was a university reunion or something--"

"So basically, if I go, it's just you and Haibara."

"Hardly," Shinichi said dryly with a scowl. "She's basically washed her hands of the situation. She's pretty much locked herself in the lab and won't open the door for anything--not even cries of imminent death."

Hattori's lips twisted into a vaguely amused frown. "Y'actually did somethin' like that?"

Shinichi shifted a bit, uncrossing his arms and interlocking his fingers behind his head, elbows high in the air as he looked away from the other detective in a manner that he used mostly when the Detective Boys had caught him in a not-so-subtle lie. "Well, sorry, but I had to make sure she wasn't just avoiding the work. She only gets this into research when she's getting close to something. Usually, she at least chews me out for making up stories."

"Hm..." Hattori hummed, obviously imagining the scene in his head and trying not to laugh too hard so he could maintain a fairly straight face. Instead of commenting on Shinichi's behavior, he asked, "So we need a thief-sitter?"

"They don't have to know who he is," Shinichi said slowly, thinking it out carefully in his methodic mind. "In fact, we really don't know who he is. We know approximate age and what he looks like--"

"An awful lot like you," the Kansai detective said meaningfully as he glanced into the bedroom again.

Shinichi frowned. "Well, it explains why he never had to use a mask when dressing as me," he said with a frown before shaking his head, getting himself to focus on the real issue. "Anyway, we can easily just say that he just stumbled into my house. It's not like weird things like this hasn't happened before."

Hattori looked back to the smaller detective, appearing a bit unsure with the idea. "I dunno...considerin' how he got here, I dun think it would be that good've an idea ta drag in more people--"

"You think I like the thought of what could happen if anyone else gets involved?" Shinichi asked with some exasperation, lowering his arms and crossing them as he looked to the ground, brow furrowed in thought. "I have no idea if anyone from that organization--especially that woman--may have an idea as to where Kid would run to, but the fact of the matter is that there's just no way I can take care of him myself."

Worrying his lower lip between his teeth for a moment, he then brought a fist to his mouth before quietly saying, "As for who we get to help, as I said before, we don't have to tell them anything about him. Could just say he is, as of now, an unidentified victim of an attempted murder, which is almost exactly the case here--"

"And it's gotta be someone who regularly comes here," Hattori put in, only getting thoughtful silence as a response. It was during this silence that the idea came to the dark-skinned detective who then snapped his fingers and said with a victorious grin. "That's it! That's the answer!"

"What is?" the shrunken detective asked, raising his eyebrows as he thought of the possible answers that his friendly rival could possibly come up with.

Raising an index finger on one hand, Hattori leaned forward in order to lower himself a bit more to the not-kid's height. "It's simple!" he stated lightly before putting forth the question, "Who d'ya know that you would _completely_ trust, who can handle themselves in a tight situation, and who comes ta your house every so often ta the point that it wouldn't be strange at all if they started comin' a bit more frequently for a time?"

Giving the Kansai detective an unamused look, Shinichi thought about it for a moment. There was no way it was one of the kids--they could hardly keep from getting kidnapped all those different times being as small and helpless as they were. Kogoro was out because he definitely never set foot in the Kudo house ever since Shinichi's parents had moved overseas. And besides Sonoko who...just wouldn't exactly be able to do much except maybe scream for a hospital, that only left...

He immediately glared up at the taller teenager. "No," he stated flatly.

Hattori gave a bit of an exasperated sigh as he straightened his stance. "You're bein' stubborn 'bout this," he chided.

Shinichi frowned heavily at that before pointedly stating, "This could be a very dangerous situation. There is _no way_ I'm going to put her in that sort of danger--"

"Kudo," the other detective broke in, voice level and calm, effectively cutting off whatever else Shinichi had meant to say in argument, "you really dun have the option or the time ta be thinkin' 'bout those sorta things. Now, I dun want Neesan ta be in danger just as much as you do--"

"I doubt that," glowered the not-kid sourly.

Hattori continued, undeterred, "But. If anythin' was ta go wrong, not only does she have the advantage've bein' the daughter've a detective and a karate champion, but _you_ can always hang around and keep an eye on things ta make sure nothin' gets outta hand." Without waiting for a comment from the other boy, the Osakajin put his hands on his hips and stared down at his comrade with a smug expression. "Well? Gotta argument against that?"

Shinichi continued to frown which only became more and more of a frustrated expression as he tried, and failed, to come up with a valid counterpoint.

He eventually surrendered to the other detective's will.

Giving a quick grin of victory, Hattori then reached out to pat an irate Conan on the head, musing his dark hair as he commented, "See, this is why ya should never question my greatness. It's obvious that I'm at least ten years ahead've ya in the thinkin' department."

Shinichi didn't even bother swatting the hand away and merely retorted, "Har har har. Whatever." The hand lifted after this not-quite admission, and he blew a sigh as he put a hand into his pocket and withdrew his cell phone meant for Shinichi. "Well, I guess I'll have to call her and let her know about all of this. Don't know how exactly I'm going to pull this off since one would think that I would be here in person to help with all of this."

Hattori waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "You'll be out investigatin'. Investigatin'," he said lightly, turning to look into the bed room again. "And I'll try ta get back here as quick as I can ta help. Seems like things will get worse from here on."

"Aa," replied Shinichi with a bit of a smirk. "But no matter what the Black Organization might be up to, I'll catch onto their game. Whether or not Vermouth was the one who directed Kid here, there's something more to all of this and I'll eventually have all the pieces of the puzzle."

He flipped his phone open and quickly ran through his call list with one had while the other picked up his bow tie and changed it to the proper setting. Just as he hit the call button and lifted it to his ear, the young detective brought the tie close to his mouth so that when he next spoke as the phone rang, it was the voice of the grown Kudo Shinichi which stated, "It's only a matter of time and as you said, that's something we're rapidly running out of."

-

-

It had at first seemed such an odd thing to ask of her, but she went along with it. First of all, there was a very sick boy lying upstairs in Shinichi's bed. A sick boy who'd witnessed a murder and was probably in danger because of it. The poor boy, Ran would continuously think to herself whenever she checked in on him.

Second of all, it was Shinichi who had asked her, had explained to her the situation, and had insisted continuously that under no circumstance was she to call the police. "It's like the Witness Protection and Relocation Program," he'd said urgently over the phone. "By calling attention to him, his location, or his situation, you could be endangering him and yourself."

She'd tried to reason with him, but he remained firm. He'd apologized, however, for making her go through all of the trouble of caring for the victim. "I would have gotten Hattori to stay up here to do it, but there's no telling how long this will take and he's got school in Osaka. So until he can get clearance to leave school temporarily, there's not much he can do," he'd said, voice sounding weary and strained. "And I would be there, too, but I have to act on what information he gave me before he passed out--before it's too late and these people are too far gone out of reach.

"I'm sorry for the sudden trouble, but you're the only one I can trust with this, Ran..."

In a way, it was a thrill. Hearing those words was enough for her, even if she still gave him a hard time about it. It was Shinichi, after all. One of the best--if not _the_ best, even if she'd directly never tell him so--detectives was trusting her with such a case.

It wasn't until she'd actually seen the boy that she realized exactly why Shinichi had seemed so harried. Wrapped in bandages, covered in sweat, trembling in pain and fevered chills, the teenaged boy tucked into Shinichi's bed appeared so frail and in need of serious care. It was more extreme than she would have believed, and Ran had been more than a bit worried that she wouldn't be able to handle the suddenly large responsibility.

Shinichi helped soothe her worries, however, by calling every hour or so, checking on things from afar, instructing her on how to handle the changing of bandages and how to be careful when dealing with the particularly nasty head wound the young man sported--a bullet shot at close range, Shinichi had informed her grimly.

Still, even with the boy--who Shinichi confessed to not knowing the name of, having not been able to get that far before the other boy passed out--unconscious for the most part, it was a tiring experience. Ran had taken care of victims of such acts before, but they'd always been handed off almost immediately to someone of better skill such as a doctor or a nurse. With this boy, nothing seemed to help.

Shifting him to change his bandages seemed to hurt him more than help even though Shinichi calmly told her that the only way to get better in these situations is to let pain run its course. ("If he's not feeling any pain, then something's wrong.") His temperature seemed permanently stuck on 39.5°C. She was able to get him to drink water to keep him hydrated--something she would have remembered herself even without Shinichi harping about it in her ear--but it was never enough to help, especially once when he'd partially woken up long enough to heave whatever was still in stomach.

By the end of the morning after taking care of the unknown boy, Ran was thoroughly exhausted and took the time to make her way down to the living room and sit herself down on the comfortable couch. She settled into the folds of the couch, laying her head against the back of it as she permitted herself a moment of rest, knowing that it would do no one any good if she was constantly fretting over the poor boy upstairs. If she exhausted herself too much, then there wouldn't be anyone left to take care of him. Shinichi was off investigating, Heiji-kun was in Osaka trying to get permission to leave school so that he could help...

Sighing before she let her thoughts dwell on those kinds of things and thinking glumly to herself about how much work she would have to make up in school this time, Ran lifted her head and sat up so that she could lean forward to grab the television remote.

Her hand had just begun to hover over the controller when her cell phone, which she'd placed on the coffee table next to the remote, began to vibrate, humming for a brief moment before a familiar ringtone filled the air. Another sigh escaping her, she picked up her cell phone in her left hand while reaching out and grabbing the remote in her right.

Flipping the cell phone open, she turned the television on as she spoke into the mouthpiece, "Patient is resting and so is the caretaker."

There was a heartbeat of silence before a small laugh reached her ear. "Well, that's good to hear," Shinichi's voice said lightly, despite the heavy exhaustion that weighed down his tone. Ran could feel her heart race and clench at the same time in the manner it always did whenever she could finally hear his voice again. "I take it that his fever hasn't broken yet either."

A statement, Ran noted, not a question.

She sighed. "No, and I've tried everything. The most I can do is just pile on the blankets and let his body flush it out," she said, feeling that sadness and pity for the boy upstairs twist her guilt guiltily as she knew that she was essentially incapable of truly helping him.

Shinichi didn't quite sigh, but Ran knew that he was only holding back because he knew just how useless she was feeling, saying instead, "Well, we'll just have to wait it out is all. Once the fever's broken then he'll be able to recover quicker and I may be able to get more of a lead on where the murderer may have gone--"

"Oh," Ran said in statement as her eyes caught onto something showing on the television. "How sad..."

A pause came from the other line. "Sad? What's going on?"

Shaking her head slightly in order to return her focus briefly to Shinichi's voice even as she began to raise the volume on the television, she answered, "Nothing over here. It's on the news--which doesn't surprise me that the news is the first channel the tv's set on." At Shinichi's silence, she knew to progress with the details. "There was a suicide in Edoka, a widow of a famous magician named Kuroba Toichi. They're saying that it happened anywhere between fourteen to sixteen hours before the body was found by a close friend. That happened five hours ago."

"Hm..." was all the detective would say, as though he was waiting for some other bit of information, knowing that a puzzled was there and was ready to solve it but he was missing a piece.

Ran couldn't help but to give the phone at her ear a bit of an annoyed look. "What are you going all 'hm...' for?"

There was another small pause before Shinichi replied, sounding uncertain, as if he was trying to make himself believe it, "It might be nothing but--"

Whatever sort of reasoning her childhood friend was verbally walking through was lost to her as she listened intently to the report being given by the newscaster.

"Ran? You still there? Oi. Ran? _Ran._"

Snapping back to the phone conversation, she quickly murmured, "Sorry, they mentioned something about the woman's son. Said he's missing at the moment and, even though his mother called his school to say that he was unable to attend school, no one's seen him since the night of the last Kaitou Kid heist."

Silence came from the other end of the line, and Ran automatically knew that Shinichi had found the last piece of the puzzle. Brow furrowing in uncertainty as she looked away from the news broadcast, she asked with some concern, "Shinichi?"

There was an edge of urgency in Shinichi's voice. "Ran, what was Kuroba-san's son's name?"

She floundered for a moment, turning her head to the side as though she could see Shinichi beside her when he was some distance away. "Shinichi, what--?" she tried to ask but was interrupted by the detective loudly saying, "His name, Ran! It's important!"

Not knowing what was wrong, she hesitantly began, "Kuroba Kai--" A noise from her left made her jerk in that direction, standing from the couch and staring in horror at the sight of the injured boy leaning heavily against the doorway. It was only then that her mind made the connection. "Kaito!" she exclaimed before quickly rushing over to him.

The boy, none other than the missing Kuroba Kaito, didn't seem to acknowledge her, putting a hand above himself and struggling to get back to his feet, panting and sweating heavily. The fever still had a hold over him, evident by his flushed face and shaking body. Ran stared at him, not knowing what to do and clutching to the cell phone where Shinichi was now shouting to get her attention.

When she winced from a particularly loud shout from the other line, Kuroba's eyes looked up to meet her. It was then that she saw all of his pain--physical and emotional alike--and realized that he'd been there for sometime and had heard the news. Her own eyes started to water with tears of sympathy and worry.

His eyes hardened in response, jaw clenching tightly before he then asked quietly, voice rough from disuse and strain, "Is that Kudo?"

Frozen, not knowing how to answer, Ran just stared at him.

Kuroba held out his free hand and silently bade her to give her the phone. When she still didn't move, he then said tightly, "Mouri-san, give me the phone."

Surprisingly, it was only then that Ran realized that Shinichi had gone quiet, probably knowing what was happening, probably able to hear the boy's quiet voice through the phone. Silently, she pulled the phone from her ear and placed it in his waiting hand.

She was somehow sure if it were any other time, she would have gotten a quick smile of appreciation and apology from the injured boy. As it was, he merely took the phone and put it to his own ear, turning his body so that his back was against the door jam and allowing himself to sink to the floor. "Kudo..." he said, voice very hoarse, almost as if he were going to cry, though Ran saw no sign of tears in his eyes.

Not knowing what else to do but knowing that she wasn't needed or wanted there, Ran left the room and went to search for the Kudos' First Aid kit. She could only imagine what kind of damage Kuroba Kaito had done to his wounds by walking all the way downstairs and to the sitting room...

-

-

Kaito only barely noticed Mouri Ran's departure and repeated when nothing but silence met his voice, "Kudo."

A sigh came from the other side of the line, voice still sounding like the grown Kudo Shinichi through the use of that bowtie of his. "Kid," the detective said in a controlled manner.

Kaito leaned his head back against the door jam, feeling his whole body protest against the movement. The again, it protested against him just sitting there, so there wasn't any point in listening to it now. "You might as well call me by my name," he said, feeling his voice weaken and begin to crack as he finished, "since you've already heard it."

A long moment of silence came then and would have continued if Kaito hadn't continued as he closed his eyes, "It's not like you wouldn't have found out anyway since you and Hattori saw my face. All you would need to do was run a quick search on high school students and you'd find out--"

"Kuroba..." Kudo's voice came slowly, almost hesitant.

Kaito bit back a noise in his throat, knowing what the detective was trying not to say. "We were safe," he whispered, mostly to himself. "We were safe and I blew it. I gave it away. I killed Jii, they probably thought I killed their man, too. Jii was probably the only one that kept them off our tails, but I blew it. I--"

"Kuroba, get a hold of yourself," Kudo said, voice still quiet but a stern tone entering now. "You can't blame yourself for all of this. You weren't the one who pulled the trigger--"

"Ha!" Kaito laughed to himself, feeling a smile spread on his lips even as he continued to pant for breath that seemed but too short and shallow. "I might not have pulled that trigger, but I did pull a trigger, and by doing that, I condemned her--"

"You know that's not why it happened--" the detective argued.

"Oh, what do you know?" the thief demanded loudly, leaning violently forward, ignoring the shocks of pain running throughout his body. The other line was silent as Kaito continued, "What do you know about me, Kudo Shinichi, meitantei? You know about my night job--great for you. You know my name--wonderful. You know that my father was killed eight years ago--congratulations! You've figured out who the first one was! You know that my mother was killed--killed when I could have stopped them from getting to her--!"

"You're getting hysterical," Kudo broke in loudly over his voice. "You're still running a fairly dangerous fever and you're not thinking straight. You're still processing everything--from the whole thing with that Jii to your mother--"

"Stop acting like you're some kind of friend!" Kaito shouted, lashing out as much as he could when his rival--enemy was out of range. "Fact is that you wouldn't have even noticed or cared about this all happening if I hadn't shown up in your house--!"

"Why did you go to my house?" the detective broke in suddenly.

The thief gritted his teeth, struggling to remain calm, struggling to work past the fever and the turbulent emotions rolling within him. Poker Face...he had to remember Poker Face... "I bet that's also something you didn't really notice," he said coldly, opening his eyes to glare at the wooden wall in from of him. "Ever notice, meitantei, that that woman never did you harm? Even when you were within her grasp? Even when she _knows where you're hiding?_"

Obviously disturbed by the amount of knowledge this particular rival had on him, Kudo demanded, "How do you know all of this?"

"Does it matter?" Kaito asked, a bit of a cruel smirk coming onto his face. "I keep my ear to the ground. I poke around to see what's what about my friends--and especially my enemies. Especially enemies who have a tendency to see through my disguises 100 of the time.

"I came to your house, Kudo," he continued lightly, able to, for the moment, put Poker Face on and hide away all the pain, anger, fear, sadness...and focused on rocking the detective's boat so hard he'd fall in the water with him, "because it was the safest place I could get from that woman. She _protects_ you from them, did you know? Why else hasn't she told them where you really are? Why else would she, multiple times, let you get away without a single scratch of her own making? Don't tell me you never thought of the possibility, meitantei."

An angered silence was his only answer for a moment before Kudo said shortly, "I knew--or at the very least, _suspected_ something was up with that woman. But that doesn't explain why she would target you like this. It doesn't explain why you were put in that situation in the first place--"

"So you've conveniently got my face, my name, my history, and now you want to hear my motives?" Kaito asked incredulously. "You're a cheat at this, Kudo. Hakuba at least had the decency to ask without any sort of idea already in his head--sure a couple of theories, but what could a newly-arrived half-British detective know what to expect from a thief he didn't even know?"

"Kuroba--"

He bit out tightly, "You have all your evidence, tantei-kun. Do your job and deduct it for once."

Again, another silence reigned.

Finally, the detective spoke, "Kuroba...what is it that scares you most? That they've managed to catch you? Or that someone else paid your price?"

Kaito didn't answer and just stared at the wall in front of him, willing himself not to let Poker Face falter, though he was starting to feel it crumble within his hands, not matter how hard he tried to keep it together.

"Don't mistaken my intentions," Kudo continued, his voice hard and precise. "I have no doubt in my mind that we're far from being each other's best friends, but we're alike, whether we like it or not. Fact is, I _know_ the situation you're in. Someday, I might even be in that very spot you're sitting in, thinking those same thoughts you're thinking. The only reason I've wanted to help you is because of that. I didn't even have to know your face or name to know that something was up, that there's more to your story than some thief in the moonlight."

Said thief had the feeling that he was having some of his own words being thrown back at him and hung his head, struggling to control his breathing as Poker Face cracked. "Sky and water..." he whispered quietly.

"That's right," the detective agreed, voice equally soft. "I know I can't say I know what you're going through--I've been fortunate enough to avoid that, but any day, any moment...I could be right there, and my mother could be your mother."

Kaito didn't say anything in response, feeling the anger he was holding onto to help maintain Poker Face falter and slowly bleed away with those words. He knew only too well that Kudo was telling the truth.

"Kuroba," the other boy continued a subtle urgency to his voice, "is there anyone else that they would target to get to you? I need to get word to the police, to get them in protection--"

"The Nakamoris," Kaito answered, breaking in as he felt a lump form in his throat. "They're practically family to me. My classmates and teacher at school. A lot of us aren't close, but...and the Taskforce...can never know who they will go after, but you'll want to make sure they and their families are safe..."

"All right," Kudo said slowly before taking in a deep breath. "I'll give Megure-keibu the call. I know Nakamori-keibu will be the most difficult with all of this, but he'll listen to reason when everything is explained." There was a pause then before the detective said solemnly, "I'll do my best to keep them safe, Kuroba."

The thief felt himself laugh as his eyes began to sting with tears. "Hopefully you can, Kudo," he said in as light as a voice as he could manage before Poker Face completely shattered and his vision blurred. "Because I couldn't."

* * *

_Author's Notes:_ ... I am not mean to Kaito.

Well, he deserved it! Honestly, it took me forever to get this part done DX Sorry it took so long! I blame university. Spring Quarter was a killer and Fall Quarter left me with very little energy. I can only hope that Winter Quarter will be lenient with me and let me actually WRITE things.

Like killing Kaito off some more. -hearts-

Next up: ... whichever fic will let me work on it. I MAKE NO PROMISES! -runs off- 


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